THE ACA ( OBAMACARE) STILL EXISTS. HERE’S HOW TO ENROLL

“Obamacare” is a colloquial term for the Affordable Care Act. Both names refer to the same legislation that passed in 2010.

Despite the intentions of President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans, the Affordable Care Act remains the law of the land. ¶ That means consumers can still obtain coverage through the health insurance exchange that was established under the ACA, along with federal subsidies that reduce the costs of those plans for individuals who qualify. ¶ Exchange plans — which in Nevada are offered through Nevada Health Link — must provide comprehensive benefits and limit out-of-pocket costs for consumers. Meanwhile, insurers who offer those plans can’t turn down enrollees or charge them more if they have preexisting conditions. ¶ To aid Nevada Health Link in its outreach and advertising campaign, the Sun is publishing this special page through the end of the enrollment period to help Nevada residents sign up for ACA coverage through the state exchange. ¶ The deadline for enrollment is Jan. 15. For Nevada residents who are in need of health care coverage, we hope this page is helpful.

STEP 1. CHOOSE A METHOD YOU FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE WITH.

Nevada Health Link, the state-run marketplace to purchase ACA (sometimes referred to as Obamacare) insurance, can be reached in the following ways:

ONLINE

NevadaHealthLink.com

PHONE

1-800-547-2927

EMAIL

IN PERSON AND VIDEO CONFERENCING

Free one-on-one, face-to-face assistance help is available. See below for contact information for insurance navigators and assisters for help.

STEP 2. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Valid Nevada driver’s license or Nevada photo ID; student ID for dependent children; Permanent Resident/Alien Registration card, if applicable

Social Security cards and birthdays for household family members

Estimate of your household income for the current year (three most recent paycheck stubs)

Proof of Nevada residence (i.e., power or phone bill)

Copy of any current health insurance information (if insurance is provided by an employer, including employer contact information)

STEP 3. CONSIDER YOUR SPECIFIC HEALTH NEEDS AND CHOOSE A PLAN FROM THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS

In broad terms, determine what kind of health care you and your family will need. Are you healthy but just need coverage in case of an injury or major illness? Do you have a pre-existing condition for which you’ll need surgery or multiple visits to a doctor? Do you have children, and do they have any special needs? Answers to questions like these will help determine what type of policy you’ll need. From there, you’ll pick a plan best-suited to your needs.

The five insurance providers that will offer ACA policies in Nevada in 2021 — Health Plan of Nevada, Anthem, Silver Summit, Friday Health Plans and Select Health — all offer three levels of coverage. Sample plans may look like this:

Platinum: Highest monthly premiums, but also the lowest co-pays for policyholders — 20% or less of medical bills after meeting the deductible. Gold: Lower premiums, higher co-pays — 30% after meeting the deductible. Silver: Lower premiums still, but co-pays edge up to 40%. Catastrophic: Lowest premiums and least coverage, with policyholder paying more than 40% of costs after meeting the deductible.