The open enrollment period is here. We're here to help you navigate the process and find the best health insurance for you and your loved ones.

Many Pennsylvania individuals and families are concerned about having adequate healthcare insurance coverage. Whether you need health insurance for yourself, your children, or other members of your household, the process can be confusing. LCH Health and Community Services understands both the needs of the families we serve and PA healthcare insurance enrollment. Our Certified Application Counselors, offered as part of our community social assistance program, are here to help!

When is PA Health Insurance Open Enrollment?

PA healthcare open enrollment runs from November 1 to January 15. This is the time period where anyone can enroll in healthcare insurance through one of the Pennsylvania health insurance options.

We sometimes receive questions about changing health insurance outside of open enrollment. If you have experienced a change in life circumstances, it is possible to enroll through a special enrollment period. Changes in life circumstances include getting married or divorced, changing or losing your job, or moving to Pennsylvania from another state.

If you would like to enroll in health insurance through the PA state-based health insurance exchange for any reason that is not a change in life circumstances, you will need to wait for the next PA health insurance open enrollment period to begin. It is important to be aware of these enrollment periods so that you do not experience a gap in your insurance coverage.

What are the PA Health Insurance Options Available to Me?

Pennsylvania has several health insurance options available depending on your age and finances. These include:

• Pennie
• COBRA
• CHIP
• Medicare (for older residents)
• Medicaid (for low-income residents)

Pennie
Pennie is the solution for individual and family health insurance through the healthcare marketplace. Pennie may be an affordable option for anyone who must self-insure, someone who needs short-term health insurance in PA, or anyone who requires health insurance gap coverage.

COBRA
If you are leaving your job or have recently lost your job, COBRA health insurance is available in PA to allow you to keep the same health insurance coverage you had through work at your own expense. You will have 60 days after your employment ends to enroll in COBRA.

Unfortunately, COBRA health insurance for PA is expensive, as it is the same coverage received under your employer, but without any employer contribution. COBRA may be your best short-term health insurance, but it is typically not an affordable long-term solution.

CHIP
PA’s Children’s Health Insurance Program is called CHIP, and it is available for children and teens. CHIP health insurance is helpful for families who don’t have insurance coverage for dependent minors, no matter the reason. CHIP coverage in PA is affordable, so you can rest assured that your kids can have quality health insurance coverage, even if it is not available to you through other resources.

Medicare
Pennsylvanians who are age 65 and older can enroll in Medicare for health insurance coverage. Medicare is a federal health insurance program, and it offers seniors assistance with health coverage, prescriptions, supplements, and other important health needs.

Medicaid
Low-income individuals and those who have disabilities may require additional assistance affording health care coverage in PA and can apply for Medicaid. Medicaid offers quality healthcare insurance coverage to those who need financial assistance.

With so many different options for health insurance coverage in PA, it may be difficult to determine the best option for your family! The good news is that the social assistance center at LCH is here to help you. We help many individuals and families determine and enroll in the health insurance plan that’s right for their circumstances.

Can Anyone Help Me With PA Health Insurance Enrollment?

At LCH, we have Certified Application Counselors available to help you complete and submit your application for health insurance enrollment. We also have at least one certified Medicare counselor on staff to assist. You may be wondering what a certified application counselor is and how they can help you. Our counselors are specially trained to screen individuals to determine eligibility. Once that is determined, our certified application counselors will offer guidance through the application, and then help you submit your enrollment form.

If you’re participating in health insurance open enrollment in PA for the first time, the entire appointment may take up to three hours. For re-enrollment, appointments will take about an hour. Your appointment with our certified application counselor is completely free, but you will need to schedule it to make sure we have someone available to help you.

If you have questions about PA health insurance open enrollment, or the right health insurance options for yourself or your family, call us at 610-444-7550 to go over your questions and schedule an appointment. We are looking forward to seeing you in our Kennett Square, West Grove, or Oxford locations. Nuestros trabajadores de casos hablan español y inglés.