Will buying a new plan in 2013 protect me from rate increases in 2014?
A common question we hear in our customer care center is: Will buying a new plan now protect me from higher rates next year? Possibly. The Affordable Care Act allows health insurance companies to update a customer's health insurance policy to the new benefit standards on that plan's annual renewal date. So, if your plan's renewal date in 2014 is November 1, for example, your insurer would have the option to renew your plan at that time. If your plan is updated to the new standards, and those new standards add additional benefits to your existing plan that you do not currently have, the cost of that plan will likely go up. Be aware that you are not required to wait until your plan's renewal date. If you would like to purchase a new plan that meets all of the new benefit standards established by the Affordable Care Act, you would have the option to do so during the open enrollment period that starts this October.
