Starting Saturday, Mainers can sign up for insurance on the Affordable Care Act's online Marketplace. Health advocates expect this enrollment period to go more smoothly than last year.
Last year's open enrollment on the federal website healthcare.gov was marred by technological glitches. But Emily Brostek, of Consumers for Affordable Health Care, says she does not anticipate the same issues this year.
Still, Brostek says consumers should sign up well before the enrollment period ends on Feb. 15.
"I would encourage people not to wait until the last minute to sign up because the issue of traffic may cause some issues with the website, even if everything is working perfectly," she says.
Open enrollment runs through Feb. 15, but to get coverage by the first of the year, consumers must enroll by Dec. 15.
Brostek also encourages those who purchased insurance last year to re-evaluate their options and update their financial information to avoid penalties, and also determine if they're eligible for subsidies.
