Lauren Dunn, MSW, VCU Hemophilia Social Woker, VBDP Health Insurance Consultant
If you are enrolled in an ACA Marketplace plan, or are shopping for health insurance coverage for 2024, there’s an important change coming in November. The marketplace open enrollment for 2024 begins November 1, 2023 and continues until January 15, 2024.
Starting this year, instead of signing up for coverage through healthcare.gov, Virginians will now use the new Virginia Insurance Marketplace to shop for health plans and apply for coverage. Here’s what you need to know to be ready on November 1, 2023:
- Virginians will now use marketplace.virginia.gov to apply for coverage and shop for plans. If you visit the healthcare.gov site after Nov. 1, it will re-direct you to the new site.
- If you prefer to use the telephone to apply for coverage, there is also a new phone number to call. The Virginia marketplace call center phone number is 888-687-1501.
Just like healthcare.gov, the Virginia Marketplace will screen applicants for Medicaid/FAMIS coverage as well as financial assistance with monthly premiums and out of pockets costs.
It’s also important to know that if you recently lost Medicaid coverage, you can sign up for a plan any time until July 31, 2024. There may also be options to enroll if you have special circumstances after January 15 so, please reach out to your HTC social worker anytime you experience a loss of insurance coverage to explore your options.
Choosing coverage and comparing plans can be overwhelming, but your HTCs and chapter are here to help you with questions about health coverage. For more information about the new Virgnia Insurance Marketplace, visit: https://www.marketplace.virginia.gov/faqs
