Do you qualify for the healthcare enrollment extension?

GTN News

There’s still a lot of confusion about the healthcare enrollment deadline. The Obama Administration announced a deadline extension, but was it extended for you?

GTN’s Hailey Holloway has what you need to know to avoid a fine from the IRS.

“We didn’t expect something like this to happen!,” said Lauren Vagelakos, an associate planner at WellFlorida Council and the coordinator of navigators in North Central Florida.

If you’re confused about the deadline to sign up for healthcare, you’re not alone. Even the federally-employed navigators had to figure it out for themselves.

“If I wasn’t studying this all the time, I wouldn’t know about it. I wouldn’t know that this is what I would have to do. And there’s even very little information for me, and I’m supposed to be a representative of the federal system.”

The deadline was Monday, but then the Obama administration said the deadline was going to be extended – for some people.

“If you were in line on March 31st, then you still have the opportunity to finish your enrollment.”

“So you have to have at least tried to sign up, but even that’s on the honor system. If something happened that prevented you from signing up like problems with the website, or if you were given misinformation, or if you never even set up an account to start shopping for insurance plans, you can still ask for extra time.”

“If you were not able to enroll by the deadline, you can also call the marketplace and request a special enrollment period. And special enrollment periods are granted on a case by case basis.”

“Regardless of your reason for needing an extension — you have to call the marketplace to get your account unlocked — it will not happen automatically. We have that number on our FaceBook page for you. If you do get approved for an extension, your new deadline is coming up quick. You have to have a plan picked by April 15.”

View the video.