Can You Cancel Health Insurance Anytime? | SmartFinancial

November 1, 2022

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Most individual and family plans purchased through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace can be canceled at any time without penalty. employer group health plans can only allow employees to cancel early if premium contributions are not deducted on a pre-tax basis. If you paid for your health insurance plan in full and canceled in the middle of the policy, you may be entitled to a prorated refund.

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The cancellation process may vary depending on the type of health plan you purchase. For example, most ACA plans can be canceled through the online member portal, group health plan cancellation may require you to provide notice, and a private insurer may require you to mail your cancellation request. email.

Reading: When can you unenroll from health insurance

Please note that canceling your health plan early may create a gap in health care coverage and you will not be covered during this time. Depending on your state, you may even face a tax penalty for this coverage gap. ideally, you should find a new policy before you cancel your current policy to ensure you have coverage throughout the year.

When can I cancel my health insurance?

The terms of canceling a health insurance plan may vary depending on whether you have a plan through the marketplace, a plan through your employer, or a private insurance plan.

Plans purchased through your state’s marketplace can be canceled at any time, but notice may be required. For example, if you purchase a health plan through covered California, you must provide at least 14 days’ notice before your plan is cancelled; same day cancellations may not be available.

If you’re insured through your employer, you may need to meet certain requirements before you can cancel your policy early. For example, an employee can only cancel their policy if the company does not deduct premium contributions before taxes. It’s also possible to cancel your health plan mid-term if you experience a qualifying event, like having a child or finding a new job (more on this later). Please note that some plans may require you to provide notice before your policy is cancelled, so same-day termination may not always be possible.

If you’re canceling a private insurance plan, you’ll need to contact your insurer directly to see if you can cancel your policy early and if any penalties apply. private plans are sold outside of the aca market and these insurers may impose requirements outside of aca guidelines. You can find your provider’s number on your health insurance card, policy, and bills. your insurance agent will let you know if there is an early termination fee and what steps are necessary before you cancel.

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Are there penalties if I cancel health insurance early?

Your insurer may impose an early termination fee, but the requirement to have health insurance has been eliminated in most states. consumers will no longer pay tax penalties or apply for an exemption if they don’t have health care coverage. however, penalties for not having health insurance may apply if you live in california, massachusetts, new jersey, rhode island, vermont, or the district of columbia.

location

penalty

exemption

california

from $850 per adult; $425 per dependent child under the age of 18

find out if you are exempt

massachusetts

based on how much you earn above the federal poverty level (fpl):

less than 150% fpl: no penalty
150.1%-300%: $276
200.1%-250%: $540
250.%-300%: $804
300%+: $1,908

married couples will pay the sum of the individual penalties per spouse.

find out if you are exempt

new jersey

from $695 per adult; $347.50 per dependent child under the age of 18

find out if you are exempt

rhode island

from $695 per adult; $347.50 per dependent child under the age of 18

find out if you are exempt

vermont

There is no cash penalty for not having health insurance, but you must be covered.

find out if you are exempt

district of colombia

$700 for each adult; $350 per dependent child under age 18

find out if you are exempt

If you’re canceling a private insurance plan, you’ll need to contact your insurer directly to see if you can cancel your policy early and if any penalties apply.

One risk of canceling your health insurance policy early is creating a gap in coverage. You may not be able to buy a new health plan through the ACA Marketplace outside of open enrollment, which generally runs from November 1 to December 15, unless you experience a qualifying event, like:

Move to a new residence

get married

divorce

retire or quit your job

become or gain a dependent

loss of health coverage (eg, job loss, age off parent’s health plan, no longer eligible for medicaid or chip)

having or adopting a baby

changes in your income

become a US citizen

get out of jail

enroll in another group health plan

income that falls below the federal poverty level

You are not covered for medical expenses if you are injured during a coverage gap. Unless you are comfortable with this risk, you should wait until you purchase a new health insurance plan before canceling your current plan.

Your insurer may impose an early termination fee, but the health insurance mandate has been eliminated in most states.

how do I cancel my health insurance?

Follow these three steps to cancel your health insurance policy.

1. investigate the cancellation process and complete the steps

Your insurer may have a cancellation process that involves confirming your coverage end dates so you don’t have a coverage gap.

For plans purchased through the aca marketplace, you can cancel your policy by logging into the online portal and completing the following steps:

click “start a new application or update an existing one”.
click your name at the top right of the screen and select “my apps & coverage.”
select your app in “your existing apps”.
on the left, select “my plans & programs.”
select “end (end) all coverage” at the bottom.
Choose the date you want your coverage to end.
check the certification box.
click the red “end coverage” button.

Please note that same day cancellations are not always possible. For example, California covered health plans need at least 14 days’ notice before your plan will cancel. always keep in mind your cancellation confirmation numbers.

When canceling a health plan through your employer, you must first confirm if your policy is eligible for early cancellation. If the employer was deducting the premium contributions on a pre-tax basis, you generally can’t cancel the policy early. your company’s human resources or benefits department will confirm this and advise you of the cancellation steps. For example, you may be required to send notice before canceling your policy, usually 30 days, but this can vary depending on your insurance company and provider.

Please note that your insurance company may not accept any claims during the notice period. therefore, we recommend having a new policy in force before canceling your existing policy or you risk being temporarily out of coverage.

If you have a private health insurance plan purchased outside of the ACA marketplace, you should confirm your company’s cancellation process because these plans may operate outside of ACA guidelines. For example, members canceling a short-term health insurance plan through Pivot Health will be required to email customer service with their plan ID number and the date their coverage ends.

2. buy your new policy before canceling the old one

Avoid canceling an existing policy until you have a new policy in force with a viable effective coverage date. While some health insurance plans can be canceled at any time, you can’t always sign up when you want. you may have to wait until open enrollment unless you qualify for a special enrollment period (see chart above). Otherwise, you risk not having health care coverage until you buy a new plan and potentially paying a tax penalty depending on your state.

If you buy a health plan through the ACA marketplace before December 15, your coverage must start on January 1. Make sure your current policy’s cancellation date doesn’t cause a lapse in health insurance coverage.

3. request reimbursement of unused premiums

If you paid your health insurance premium in one lump sum and want to cancel your policy early, ask your insurer if they can reimburse you for unused premiums paid for the remaining months. Not all insurance companies are required to issue you a prorated reimbursement, regardless of whether you had an aca plan, a group health plan, or a private plan outside of the aca market.

Confirm your private health insurance company’s cancellation process because these plans may operate outside of the aca guidelines.

how do i cancel obamacare?

if you no longer need obamacare coverage, a plan purchased through the aca marketplace, you can cancel your plan at any time by logging on to healthcare.gov and selecting the “end coverage” option. If you want to keep the plan but drop coverage for certain people, you must contact the Marketplace call center directly to request the change. you can schedule cancellation of your policy that same day or in the future.

Your coverage will end if you also stop paying your health insurance premiums. however, if your premium was lowered because you qualified for the advanced premium tax credit, you may need to repay the applied credit first.

get personalized health insurance quotes here

Avoid canceling an existing policy until you have a new policy in force.

key takeaways

Outside of open enrollment, you can only change plans if you experience a qualifying event, such as changing your marital status, moving to a new address, or having a child.
You can terminate your health insurance at any time, and it can be as simple as calling your insurer; however, policies may have different cancellation policies.
Members who have paid their insurance premiums in advance may qualify for a prorated refund from their insurer.

find new health insurance at an affordable price. smartfinancial can help you find a new policy that fits your health care needs and budget. just enter your zip code below and answer a few quick questions or call 855.214.2291 to get free health insurance quotes in your area.

sources:

healthcare.gov. “how to cancel your market plan”. accessed Oct. 26, 2022.
salud.gov. “exemptions to the requirement to have health insurance” accessed Oct. 26, 2022.
pivot health. “what address do i need to cancel my insurance policy?” accessed Oct. 26, 2022.

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Category: Other

November 1, 2022

0 43 7 minutes read