My brother and all his friends are in this category. Their general take on it is yes, they'll sign up, but they're not in a hurry. Expect most of the young people to get it done last-minute, just as in everything else they do.

When do you lose your current plan? Is it immediate, or end of the year, or next March?

March for me & May for my son. At this point, I may have to fudge some numbers and see if we can get medicaid. If that doesn't work I'll have to roll the dice and just insure one of us. Ya think I should go with him because he has a long life ahead or me who is old and fat... He's a lot cheaper than I as well.

I have an Obamacare question.

I'm not working right now, though I hope I will land a job soon. Naturally, I don't have any employer-based insurance. I can imagine a situation where I'll buy insurance (for a year, the regular term for such policies) for myself via my state's exchange or through a broker or via the phone or paper or whatever, the method's not important. Anyhow, say I buy a policy. Say I subsequently get a job (HOORAY!) and part of the job compensation is employer provided/sponsored/subsidized health insurance. What then? Could I cancel my individual plan and go with what my employer is providing, saving me the direct expense of paying for my own insurance? I know that previously, certain "life events" were reasons to change a policy outside of the open enrollment period, like marriage, a new baby, divorce, etc. And naturally, changing jobs is a super-common reason people change insurance. So, I won't be changing my individuality, but I might be getting another option. Does anyone know about this? Could I cancel my individual policy if I'm getting different insurance through work?

"Could I cancel my individual plan and go with what my employer is providing"
Yes. Individual policies basically run month to month. you may cancel at any time. When your new employer plan starts is up to the company. Typically it is 90 days from your FT hire date.

month to month? wow. Ok, thanks for the answer!

...pay your premiums monthly and you assure yourself of that. ;)

Aside from that there used to be a company called Golden Rule who offered short term policies .... 3 month 6 month etc. That may be an option for some as well. If they are still around. NO, you cannot just keep buying from them indefinitely.

Golden Rule is definitely still around; they are one of the few plans that has excellent ABA (behavioral therapy for autism) coverage. I know at least a dozen people on it. It is not cheap, but if you have massive healthcare costs, it is worth it. The people I know pay approximately $16,000 per year between the policy cost and the co-pays/deductible, and in return are getting $100,000 to $150,000 in actual medical costs per year covered.

Sorry for the confusion - poorly written post on my part.
I know the company is around, I was referring to their temp plans.

You are expected to. In fact if you don't you'll pay more.

A new employer is a "life event", so yes.

some good explanations

http://www.opb.org/news/article/npr-...t-health-care/

Oh now I get it dep't:

I did not make enough documentable income last year to qualify for O-care.

Hmmm

Hmmmmmm

You are probably in the Medicare hole. Make too much for pre-ACA Medicare, but not enough for an exchange subsidy? Thank Corbett.

I blame only myself for whatever hole I may be in.

That's fine, but you can still thank Corbett for this particular opportunity to blame yourself.