<p>A special open enrollment period on all Affordable Care Act marketplaces, including on the federal insurance exchange, <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcare.gov%2F&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C168ef55712084b4020ab08d95ead0360%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637644921384738797%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=vQWxJnmjKmHvjb23oTbBzPLl9QeiyeAIwZqKlhc%2FmjU%3D&reserved=0">HealthCare.gov</a>, runs until Aug. 15. Many people qualify for free or low-cost plans. If you are uninsured or you've been on unemployment benefits this year, new financial help — passed by Congress this year — means you might be eligible for free health insurance.</p><p>A special enrollment period <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcare.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C168ef55712084b4020ab08d95ead0360%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637644921384738797%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=eE6eSNpGTzo83OYCo9mFISJjplSmkGzCjWPF1aUJc7s%3D&reserved=0">ends on Aug. 15</a>, so consumers will need to act fast to sign up for one of these plans on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces.</p><p>In addition to Medicaid, which is the state-federal public plan for low-income people, there are additional options on <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcare.gov%2F&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C168ef55712084b4020ab08d95ead0360%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637644921384748790%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=MA3WVhojvUL56xqGRjsTvfG7DTEoxnnX9M4W6%2BW%2BDi0%3D&reserved=0">HealthCare.gov</a> and <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcare.gov%2Fmarketplace-in-your-state%2F&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C168ef55712084b4020ab08d95ead0360%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637644921384748790%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=PiEUe%2BWFcoI6hQMxxbTrSj35cbPFdyvdQ3QphrQ%2Bo7c%3D&reserved=0">the state marketplaces</a>, free "<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcare.gov%2Fchoose-a-plan%2Fplans-categories%2F&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C168ef55712084b4020ab08d95ead0360%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637644921384758782%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=LAynCh%2Bzlbw6HRnVDnALeqJ2lk85Cif3X0lzas6y2h8%3D&reserved=0">bronze plans</a>" — the lowest tier of plans — that might be available with zero-dollar premiums depending on your income. Both of those have been <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kff.org%2Fpolicy-watch%2Fmillions-of-uninsured-americans-are-eligible-for-free-aca-health-insurance%2F&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C168ef55712084b4020ab08d95ead0360%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637644921384758782%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=d%2FQyIxh77QkfdAJF89xi5nMmmUlqZJvje9uJlDfJ0L4%3D&reserved=0">options for years</a>.</p><p>Now, there's also a new free plan option open to a new category of people. The American Rescue Plan included <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.npr.org%2Fsections%2Fhealth-shots%2F2021%2F04%2F22%2F989448586%2Fhealth-insurance-for-10-or-less-a-month-you-may-qualify-for-new-discounts&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C168ef55712084b4020ab08d95ead0360%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637644921384768779%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=rJuP6AWJqj7PjgVxSEIu7kABxmtrLW6RqlxOExPFoEs%3D&reserved=0">a lot of changes</a> to help make it easier and more affordable to enroll, including new and more generous subsidies for premiums, cost-sharing support for low-income people and more.</p><p>One major change: If you've <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcare.gov%2Fmore-savings%2F&data=04%7C01%7CRIngram3%40schools.nyc.gov%7C168ef55712084b4020ab08d95ead0360%7C18492cb7ef45456185710c42e5f7ac07%7C0%7C0%7C637644921384768779%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=Xj7MQvztsRsSZdC5bMeMbihaxApsMNGJwkLABPOqS9M%3D&reserved=0">received unemployment benefits</a> at any point this year, you might qualify for a comprehensive silver plan through the end of 2021.</p>
