Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Cautions Tennesseans about Insurance Availability Outside of Open Enrollment

Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) is reminding Tennesseans that open enrollment for Affordable Care Act (ACA)-compliant plans ends on March 31st, 2014. After the March 31st deadline, TDCI cautions that it may be challenging to acquire ACA-compliant plans outside of special enrollment periods.

Additionally, Tennesseans enrolled in plans that are not fully ACA-compliant, including “grandfathered,” “grandmothered,” or “transitional” plans, may receive notices in 2014 of premium increases upon renewal. Should these notices be received after March 31st, consumers may be left with limited coverage options.Consumers who choose to terminate their health coverage because a premium increase makes their plan unaffordable will not be considered to have experienced a loss of coverage. According to federal guidance, these consumers will not qualify for special enrollment periods.

Individuals seeking guidance on special enrollment periods are encouraged to contact the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) at 1.800.318.2596. HHS has posted information on their website about special enrollment periods here.

TDCI has directed health insurance carriers to advise of additional health insurance options when notifying consumers of premium increases.

TDCI strongly urges Tennesseans to review their health insurance needs and prepare for the possibility of premium increase notifications in 2014. Individuals with questions can contact TDCI’s Policy Analysis Division at 615.741.2825.

About the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance

The Department of Commerce and Insurance works to protect consumers while ensuring fair competition for industries and professionals who do business in Tennessee. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for a daily dose of fire prevention tips, consumer affairs information and much more!