If you live in Louisiana and either buy your own health insurance or are currently uninsured, this guide is for you. It will help you: Determine whether you qualify for a tax credit to help you pay for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare).
Compare private health plans using U.S. News & World Report’s health insurance ratings for Louisiana.
If you are enrolling in an Obamacare insurance plan through Healthcare.gov, your state’s exchange, or a broker, the official 2015 Open Enrollment period is from November 15, 2014 through February 15, 2015.
Do I Have To Buy Health Insurance?
You may have heard that everyone in Louisiana must have health insurance in 2015 or pay a penalty – Obamacare’s so-called “individual mandate.” With a few exceptions, this is true.
For 2015, not carrying insurance will cost $325 per adult plus $162.50 per child (up to $975 per family) or 2 percent of your family’s income, whichever is more.
U.S. News generally recommends getting health insurance of some kind, even if it is only catastrophic coverage. That’s because unexpected medical expenses can easily bankrupt anyone who is uninsured.
Learn more about why it’s important to sign-up for health insurance.
Understand more about the Obamacare tax penalty.
If your health insurance policy was cancelled in fall 2014, call your insurer to verify whether your plan is still available.