If you purchased a plan on the federal health insurance exchange last year (healthcare.gov), you may be among the many whose plan is no longer available for 2016. As a result, you might be feeling displaced and wondering how you're going to find a good health plan to cover you – and your family too perhaps. You may be concerned about locating one that fits your healthcare needs and that you can afford.

You likely have questions, lots of questions. So here are some answers – just for you from MountainStar Healthcare.

Here is what happened – in a nutshell

• Three insurance companies that provided health plans through the federal health insurance exchange (healthcare.gov) in 2015 will not offer options for the year 2016.
• A major factor for all three companies leaving the exchange was the recently announced shortfall in the Affordable Care Act's "risk corridor program."
• The program was designed to protect insurance companies participating in the health insurance exchange from losses by reallocating funds between them.
• However, the federal government recently announced that it is only able to pay 12.6 percent of the $2.87 billion that participating insurance companies were counting on to offset higher-than-expected claims from 2014.

Here is what that means to you

• You are among thousands of people previously enrolled in a health plan on Utah's exchange who will need to select coverage from another insurance provider.
• Open enrollment on the exchange started on November 1 and continues until January 31, 2016.
• If you want your coverage to start on January 1, you must select a new health plan by December 15, 2015. Otherwise, you will have a gap in your insurance coverage until February 2016.
• Based on increased costs for health plans in 2016, you may qualify for a subsidy or an increased subsidy that will help cover your monthly insurance cost.
• It's also important to consider health insurance in relation to taxes. If you aren't covered by a health plan when you file your federal income tax return every year, you will pay a penalty. For the calendar year 2016, penalties will increase to $695 per adult or 2.5 percent of your household income, whichever is greater.

Here are your options for 2016

• Four health insurance companies will offer individual plans through the exchange for Utahns.
• Most options will be available to nine counties where the majority of people live.
• Two of this year's plan options will keep you connected to the MountainStar Healthcare network.

Here is how you can get help

• We can connect people who were covered by a health plan on the exchange last year to similar insurance coverage for 2016 – that fits their family's needs and budgets.
• We can also help Utahns new to the health insurance exchange to navigate the process and find an affordable plan for them and their families.
• We have live representatives standing by who will be your guide as you review health plan options and select the best one available on healthcare.gov.

1. Make sure to ask your representative whether you qualify for a subsidy too.
2. Our goal is to make your transition to a cost-effect health plan as seamless as possible.
3. If you'd like to stay within your trusted MountainStar Healthcare network, we can make that happen too! Remember that open enrollment on the health insurance exchange started on November 1, 2015. For personal assistance, call your insurance broker or 801-658-9282 or visit Mountainstaranswers.com

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