One thing that the Affordable Care Act was supposed to do was drive insurance prices down across the board. According to an analysis done by the Kaiser Family Foundation, this appears to be working—at least as far as Arizona is concerned. According to that study, premiums are down a full 10% over 2014 in the Phoenix area. As of 2014, premiums in Arizona are also lower than most other states.
If you make between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level, you also qualify for tax credits that will help reduce your costs even further.
As with most other states, you need to apply for health insurance during the open enrollment period in order to both make sure that you're covered and to avoid any penalties that may apply. For the 2015 term, for example, the open enrollment period ended on February 15.
If you didn't sign up for a policy during that time, though, hope is not lost. There are still two ways that you can get coverage in Arizona by qualifying for a special enrollment period. The first is if you've had a life-changing event of some type, like if you had a baby, lost coverage that you thought you had, or got married. The second is that if you were unable to obtain insurance during the enrollment period due to a limited income.
If you're a senior citizen and take prescriptions, new health insurance rules and regulations can help you save a huge amount of money every time you go to the pharmacy. According to HSS.gov, seniors across the state saved an average of $830 per person in 2013 alone by signing up for an Affordable Care Act compliant plan.
My name is Brad Lastovica and I've been in the healthcare industry since 1996. In that time, I've seen it all. If you have any questions about obtaining healthcare in Arizona, or if you'd just like to speak to someone about your options, or you'd like to get an independent opinion about what you should do next, please contact me today. I'm offering a completely free service, so it won't cost you so much as a dime to reap all the benefits that come with working with a knowledgeable professional.