Purchasing ACA insurance through Healthcare.gov when you already have a policy

[Ex Lurker]

I'm self employed, already have an individual policy. Thinking about switching over to one through the ACA. Has anyone done this, and have you run into any problems, particularly if your old and new policies are through the same company? Should I call the ins. company and tell them what the deal is? I can see getting snarled in some kind of high tech red tape nightmare if I just go online and purchase a new policy, especially when I already have one from the same company. TIA.

[OKNancy]

1. you can use the phone numbers on the healthcare.gov site

the people answering are pretty knowledgable.

[Coyote_Bandit]

2. Just call the company

You can get ACA compliant policies directly from the cmpany. No need to go hough healthcare.gov

I carr m own coverage. Had a policy in place. Shopped the alternatives avalable to me then contacted he cmpany directly. Had no problems.

[livetohike]

3. My experience was that you have to keep on the insurance company through calling them

to make sure:

You have the old policy cancelled and the new one is started.

That they have received your payment for the new policy.

If your old policy payments were automatically deducted, that those are stopped immediately.

Don't assume it is all taken care of. Check and double check.

My old and new policies are with Highmark Blue Cross. They even continued to send me bills for the old policy despite my phone calls.