Aca open enrollment for 2022 ends jan. 15

Six states and the District of Columbia have set their enrollment deadlines later than the extended federal cutoff: Massachusetts, Jan. 23; California, D.C., New Jersey, New York and

Rhode Island, Jan. 31. MOST ELIGIBLE FOR ACA SUBSIDIES The vast majority of consumers who apply for coverage through the ACA are eligible for federal subsidies to help defray the cost of

their monthly premiums. The ACA provides two types of financial assistance: tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies. Eligibility is based on income, and historically more than 80 percent of

people who get their insurance through the marketplaces are eligible for subsidies. For 2022, you are likely eligible for a tax credit for premiums if your annual income falls within these

ranges: $12,880 to $51,520 for an individual and $26,500 to $106,00 for a family of four. You can also qualify for a cost-sharing subsidy depending on your income and what level plan you

select. Marketplace plans come in four tiers — bronze, silver, gold and platinum — with the bronze tier having the lowest premiums but the highest cost-sharing for care, and the platinum

tier having the highest premiums but the lowest cost-sharing. Healthcare.gov has a calculator to help you figure out if you qualify for a tax credit and/or cost-sharing subsidy and the

amount you may qualify for. MORE HELP AVAILABLE Brooks-LaSure says full funding for navigators, trained individuals who provide free assistance in picking an ACA plan, has been restored,

so consumers should find it easier to get help selecting and enrolling in a plan than in recent years. More than 5,500 assisters, including trained navigators, application counselors and

others, as well as over 48,000 agents and brokers, will be available. CMS has also relaunched its Champions for Coverage program, which includes more than 2,100 local organizations that

will provide outreach and education about the marketplace and how consumers can enroll in coverage. The ACA hotline (800-318-2596) is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

Consumers can also find local help through the healthcare.gov website. _Dena Bunis covers Medicare, health care, health policy and Congress. She also writes the “Medicare Made Easy” column

for the _AARP Bulletin_. An award-winning journalist, Bunis spent decades working for metropolitan daily newspapers, including as Washington bureau chief for the _Orange County Register_ and

as a health policy and workplace writer for _Newsday_._