Deadline for insurance marketplace approaching

The current open enrollment period for the health insurance marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act will end on Jan. 31.

Since Nov. 1, when the annual enrollment period began, 8.6 million people have signed up for health coverage through HealthCare.gov or renewed their coverage, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Nationwide, 11.3 million people have signed up through Health Insurance Marketplaces.

Nebraska is among the 38 states that use HealthCare.Gov, and from November through last week, 79,000 state residents had enrolled.

For plans selected by Jan. 15, coverage will begin Jan. 31; plans selected by Jan. 31 will take effect March 1.

The next open enrollment period is Oct. 15-Dec. 7.

According to HealthCare.gov, special enrollment periods can be requested following certain life events, including marriage, birth of a child and loss of other health coverage.

The penalty for not having health coverage also increases in 2016.

"The fee is calculated two different ways – as a percentage of your household income, and per person," according to HealthCare.gov. "You'll pay whichever is higher."

The penalty per adult is $695 and $347.50 for each child less than 18, or 2.5 percent of the household income.

When the penalty was first introduced in 2014, it was $95 per adult.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 85 percent of marketplace consumers received tax credits in 2015.

"Marketplace tax credits are structured so they keep pace with premium increases in the benchmark silver plan, therefore, many premium increases are offset," a HHS media release states.

This year, there was an average of 10 issuers participating in the marketplace per state.

"In 2016, consumers can chose from an average of almost 50 plans in their county," the release adds.

For more information, visit http://HealthCare.gov or call the Marketplace Call Center at (800) 318-2596.