The Health Insurance Marketplace Explained! What it is. What it does. What it costs. Straight answers to your questions about buying insurance on the new Health Insurance Marketplace (also called State Exchanges) established under the new Healthcare Law (Obamacare).

1. The Health Insurance
Marketplace Explained
What It Is. What It Does. What It Costs.
© 2013 WNC Health Insurance / The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store

2. Do I need health insurance?
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act states
that beginning in 2014 all Americans with the means
to afford health insurance MUST obtain healthcare
coverage, or else pay a penalty in 2015.

3. What if I can’t afford
health insurance?
The federal government is offering subsidies to help
people with incomes from 100% to 400% of the
poverty level purchase health insurance.
Exception: Families that qualify for state or federal
healthcare assistance programs are not required to
purchase healthcare coverage on the Health
Insurance Marketplace.

4. Where can I buy
cheap health insurance?
As of October 1, 2013 everyone has access to the new
Health Insurance Marketplace. The cost of plans
varies by state and where you live in your state.
Some states manage their own Marketplace. In other
states, the Federal Government manages the
Marketplace.

5. How are plans on the Health
Insurance Marketplace different?
All plans offered through the Health Insurance
Marketplace must cover ten essential benefits. To
learn what those benefits are, visit:
www.BlueStoreAshevilleNC.com

6. How much do plans through the
Health Insurance Marketplace cost?
Healthcare plans offered on the Marketplace are
broken down into five categories:
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Catastrophic (special conditions apply)

7. How much do plans through the
Health Insurance Marketplace cost?
The amount you pay will depend on the deductible
you select and the percentage of medical expenses
paid for by the plan and your household income.
People with lower incomes will pay less and have
lower out of pocket costs. People with higher
incomes will pay more.

8. If I buy health insurance, do I have to
go through the Marketplace?
No. However, to qualify for a government subsidy,
you must purchase a plan through your state’s
Health Insurance Marketplace.

9. What if I already have insurance?
If you have an insurance carrier already, you may
choose to stay with the same carrier and your existing
plan may be grandfathered.
Grandfathered plans are not required to offer the
same coverage benefits as plans through the Health
Insurance Marketplace. The premiums for
grandfathered plans may be less than plans available
through the Marketplace, or they may be more.

10. Where can I go to learn more about
the Health Insurance Marketplace?
WNC Health Insurance
The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store:
www.BlueStoreAshevilleNC.com
© 2013 WNC Health Insurance / The Asheville Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina® Store