On the cover of the October issue of The Syncopated Times, we published a reminder for musicians and other readers that they had six weeks to sign up for medical insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act, since the ACA enrollment period would not be advertised through mainstream media. We emphasized coverage for musicians as being imperative, since most musicians are self-employed and many make less than $25,000 per year—and all are particularly vulnerable to exorbitant medical expenses.
In that brief item, we relied on the federal US website for information. Shortly thereafter we were made aware that the rules for enrollment vary from state to state.
Rebekah Verdon, CLU, ChFC, president of Balanced Financials, writes, “It’s best to check within your state for the deadlines for enrolling in the ACA. For example ‘Covered California,’ which is the exchange for the state of California, has an enrollment deadline that is later than some other states. In California the enrollment opens November 1, 2017, and goes to January 31, 2018.”
She also stressed the importance of professional guidance in locating the health coverage plan that is best for you. “The best thing to do is to find a licensed broker in your state that will help you enroll, preferably a broker that has been in business for no less than five years. The ACA made big changes in the landscape of b
