Affordable Care Act Deadline Approaching March 31
Open enrollment for 2014 health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act is closing in just a few days, on March 31. Under the new law, most uninsured Americans need to purchase a health insurance plan or face a penalty.

More than 4 million people have signed up for coverage since October 1, and eight of the 10 states with the largest increases in enrollment from December to January were in the South. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Mississippi had the largest increase, followed by Florida and Louisiana.

There has been a large outreach effort from community organizations, churches, civil rights organizations and federal health officials to sign up more minorities – particularly African-Americans – in the Affordable Care Act.

African-Americans are 55 percent more likely to be uninsured than white Americans, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Efforts throughout the South are encouraging African-American residents to enroll before the March 31 deadline. In Mississippi, this includes a series of events hosted by mayors throughout the state.

The Obama administration announced this week that it will give an extra grace period to Americans who begin the Affordable Care Act signup process by the March 31 deadline but don’t finish it before the end of the day.
 
Three Tips for Enrolling in the Affordable Care Act

1. Gather all your information in advance.
Find the documents, birthdates, Social Security numbers and any other important information for everyone who will be on the application.

 
2. Start the signup process now.
Go to HealthCare.gov and enroll 24 hours a day.
 
3. Ask for help.
If you have questions or need assistance with enrolling, you can speak to a trained representative at any time of day by calling 1-800-318-2596 or find someone in your local community who can help you at localhelp.healthcare.gov.