To have your current medical plan cancelled, call Customer Service at (855) 836-9705. Blue Shield cannot lawfully cancel your plan without your permission. If you don’t terminate your plan, you’ll end up with two active plans and two sets of bills.
After you’ve paid for your current medical plan’s last month of coverage.
For example, if you want to buy a new medical plan through Covered California with a May 1 start date, you must first pay your current medical plan’s April premium. You can then call Customer Service to terminate your Blue Shield plan at the end of the month after making your payment.
Can I cancel my health insurance at any time?
- Simply log into your Marketplace account if you’re canceling an Affordable Care Act (ACA) Obamacare plan you bought on a federal marketplace, such as Healthcare.gov or your state marketplace. State marketplaces will have different prompts and page flows. If you purchased your plan through the federal exchange, simply log into your account on healthcare.gov, go to the “My Plans & Programs” tab, and pick “End (Terminate) All Coverage” from the menu. Before following the final instructions to cancel your Marketplace health insurance policy, enter the date when you want your coverage to terminate.
More Helpful Tips about Cancelling Marketplace Plans
- Cancel as soon as possible: If you’ve chosen to cancel your Marketplace plan, do so as soon as possible. Before coverage stops, there is usually a 14-day waiting period, which means you will be responsible for premium payments for the next two weeks. If you’re canceling coverage for your spouse and other dependents, there is an exception. In such instances, the cancellation is almost always immediate.
- Set an Expire Day Ahead of Time: Policyholders can schedule the cancellation of Marketplace insurance, which means you can specify a specific date in the future for your coverage to end.
- Check your bank statements to make sure you don’t be charged after you cancel. Make sure your old policy isn’t being billed and that your new coverage is operational.
How to Cancel Health Insurance Purchased from a Private Insurer
Getting in Touch With Your Provider: If you want to terminate a private insurer’s health insurance, you’ll need to contact that insurer for instructions. The cancellation protocols used by different carriers differ. Some insurers will offer you a form to complete, while others will require a more formal written confirmation to terminate coverage. To acquire the information you need, call the customer support number on the back of your health insurance card.
Helpful Tips When Cancelling Private Plans
- Get Carded: The phone number for your insurer’s customer service is usually displayed on your health insurance card and on your monthly premium bill.
- Keep an eye out for waiting periods: If you’re starting a new job, keep in mind that many companies need a 30- to 90-day (or more) waiting period before coverage begins. To avoid a coverage gap, double-check with your HR department to ensure the exact start date of your coverage.
- Record the date, as well as the agent’s full name, the callback number, and your cancellation confirmation number, in your notes when you speak with an insurance representative. It will be much easier to resolve any future concerns now that you have that information.
How to Cancel Employer Health Insurance
- Make sure that the cancellation date for your existing policy falls on or after the start date of your new plan.
- “Cafeteria Plans” have the following exceptions: Employees can choose to discontinue their employer-sponsored health insurance at any time, as long as they are not deducting premium payments from their paychecks before taxes. Employees who are able to pay their premiums using pre-tax cash are enrolled in a Section 125 Plan, which means they can only change or terminate their plan through an OEP or SEP.
Helpful Tips about Employer Health Insurance
- COBRA: Employees (and their families) who lose group health insurance at work must be given the option to keep their coverage but at their own expense.
Employees and their families who lose their health benefits can continue to participate in their group health plan for a limited time under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), which permits them to do so for up to three years for dependents. In the event of a voluntary or involuntary job loss, a reduction in work hours, divorce, or death, you are eligible for COBRA. However, COBRA is costly since employers no longer contribute; you are responsible for all health-care costs, plus a 2% administration charge.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us. Talk to your HR department at work if you want to learn more about canceling your health insurance coverage.
How to Cancel Medicaid or CHIP Programs
- Expect to be notified by the state about your income adjustment. If your household income rises or state qualification rules change, you may lose your Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program eligibility. (CHIP is a program that provides low-cost health insurance to children under the age of 19 who do not qualify for Medicaid.) If you lose your Medicaid or CHIP coverage, you’ll have a 60-day special enrollment period to purchase a Marketplace plan if you can afford it after collecting common federal subsidies. Subsidies are available to nearly 90% of those who have Obamacare.
- Notify Your Caseworker: If you need to cancel your Medicaid or CHIP plan due to a new job or your child turning 19 and aging out, you’ll need to look into the process in your state. The laws in each state differ greatly. Start by phoning your state Medicaid department caseworker. You usually have 30 days to enroll in a Marketplace plan before your Medicaid or CHIP coverage expires.
How to Cancel Obamacare and Switch to Medicaid or CHIP
- Expect a Letter: If you wish to cancel your Obamacare plan because you’ve become eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, you’ll have to go through the same procedure as before. You should receive a letter informing you that you are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, as well as a list of steps you must do to enroll all by a certain deadline. Don’t wait any longer. Enroll as soon as possible.
- Don’t Forget: You must also terminate your Obamacare coverage in a timely manner. Your Marketplace coverage and bills will continue if you do not cancel your Obamacare plan once your Medicaid coverage begins. However, whatever government subsidies you were receiving will come to an end, leaving you to pay the full cost of your health insurance, less any cost-sharing reductions you were receiving. Cost Sharing Reduction Subsidies (CSR) lower out-of-pocket expenses on ACA Marketplace Silver plans for those making between 100 percent and 250 percent of the federal poverty threshold (100 percent is $12,760 for an individual, $17,240 for a family of two, $21,720 for a family of three). These subsidies are in addition to Premium Tax Credits, which reduce premium expenses for persons earning between 100% and 400% of the poverty level, up to $50,000 for an individual and $89,000 for a family of three.
How to Switch from Obamacare to Medicare
- Happy 65th Birthday: You can keep your Marketplace plan until you decide to enroll in Medicare. The majority of people enroll as soon as they become eligible during the Initial Enrollment Period, which runs from three months before to three months after their 65th birthday.
- You can even keep your Marketplace plan if you choose. However, after your Medicare Part A coverage begins, you won’t be eligible for any premium tax credits or other cost savings. As a result, the Marketplace plan would have to be purchased at full price.
- After you reach the age of 65, you have another option. You might keep your work-based health insurance until you retire or leave your job.
How to Cancel Health Insurance on Behalf of a Deceased Person
- To cancel Medicare, make sure you have the person’s Social Security number when reporting the death of a Medicare beneficiary (SSN). Then, to report the death, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY: 1-800-325-0778).
- Cancelling a Marketplace Health Insurance Plan: If you’re the primary policyholder and a member of your plan dies, you can cancel the deceased enrollee’s health insurance online at healthcare.gov. You can also report the person’s death by calling the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325).
- To cancel a Marketplace health insurance plan (if you aren’t covered by the deceased person’s policy): If you’re at least 18 years old, you can report a death on behalf of a household, even if you aren’t a member of the household indicated on the Marketplace application. What you’ll need to accomplish is:
- Send copies of documents that prove the death, such as the death certificate, obituary, court document proving death, or proof that you were named executor of the estate.
- The deceased person’s entire name, date of birth, SSN (if known), and your contact information as the person submitting the evidence should all be included in these documents.
- Health Insurance Marketplace / ATTN: Coverage Removal, Dept. of Health and Human Services, 465 Industrial Blvd., London, KY 40750-0001, London, KY 40750-0001. It’s important to remember that the originals should be kept as backups and only copies should be sent.
- The Marketplace Call Center Will Contact You: The Marketplace Call Center will attempt to contact you about terminating coverage for the dead, as well as enquire about the status of everyone else on the plan who is still covered. The remaining household members, for example, may need to amend their tax returns, financial information, or other information on their application. When a family member dies, the other members of the household are usually eligible for a SEP, which allows them to amend their plans.
Exceptional Cases for Cancelling Health Insurance
- Child Support or Divorce: As part of court-ordered child support or divorce processes, you may be legally compelled to keep your health insurance policy. In addition, if a Medicare user wants to switch to commercial insurance or an HMO, he or she must apply to the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) beforehand.
- When You Want to Switch from Medicare to Private Insurance: When a Medicare beneficiary desires to move to better private insurance, such as through coverage provided by a new employer, he or she must first apply to the Healthcare Financing Administration (HCFA).
Taking the Next Steps
Do not panic if you are unhappy with your existing coverage or if you lose coverage for some reason; there are nearly always a variety of suitable solutions available to you.
Is there a penalty for Cancelling health insurance?
Yes, you can typically terminate your health insurance without incurring any penalties. If you live in a state with its own coverage mandate, you may be subject to a tax penalty. Your cancellation may take effect immediately, or you may specify a future date, such as when your new coverage will begin.
How do I cancel my health insurance policy?
Depending on your county, you may be able to choose from a variety of Medi-Cal plans. You can alter your mind at any moment if you wish to try another plan available in your county. Call Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Care Options at 1-800-430-4263 to change your Medi-Cal plan. You can also fill out a Medi-Cal Choice Form, which can be downloaded from the Health Care Options page. Choose your county from the drop-down option, then look under “Choice enrollment forms” for the form link. The Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Plan Directory can help you learn more about the plans available in your area.
Call your local county office if you need to cancel your Medi-Cal coverage. Call 1-877-752-4737 option 3 to enroll in a Covered California plan once you’ve been freed from Medi-Cal. Be aware that the income restrictions for Medicaid/Medi-Cal and Covered California are different (the state exchange.)
Can I get a refund if I cancel my health insurance?
Is it possible to get a complete return on your health insurance if you cancel? A full refund is uncommon in most circumstances, especially after the first month of coverage, but individual health insurance providers and states have varying practices and restrictions.
How do I cancel my Blue Cross Blue Shield Arizona?
Simply write to BCBSAZ, Attention Privacy Office, PO Box 13466, Phoenix, AZ 85002-3466 to discontinue your membership. Include your BCBSAZ member ID number and the date you’d like the cancellation to take effect.
Can you cancel Obamacare anytime?
You have the option of canceling your Marketplace coverage at any time. You may be required to do so if you obtain additional health insurance or for another reason.
- After your coverage has begun, everyone on the application. Your cancellation can take effect immediately, or you can schedule the Marketplace coverage end date to a date in the future, such as the first day of the next month if you know your new coverage will begin on that day.
- On the application, there are only a few persons. In the vast majority of circumstances, their coverage will be terminated immediately.
Can you cancel health insurance through employer?
Without a qualifying life event, you can cancel your individual health insurance plan at any time. But keep in mind that after you cancel your insurance, you won’t be able to re-enroll until the next open enrollment period. You will be without health insurance during this time, which might be pricey if you are hurt.
You cannot, on the other hand, cancel an employer-sponsored health plan at any moment. A qualifying life event would be required if you wished to discontinue an employer plan outside of the company’s open enrollment period. Under
Whats better PPO or HMO?
Monthly premiums for HMO plans are often lower. You can also anticipate lower out-of-pocket expenses. PPOs feature higher monthly premiums in exchange for the ability to access in-network and out-of-network physicians without requiring a referral. A PPO plan’s out-of-pocket medical costs can also be greater.
Can I cancel my policy online?
The canceling procedure can be completed online or in person. “For the offline route, the policyholder can go to the insurance company’s branch and file a cancellation request,” Goel explains. To cancel your policy online, go to the insurer’s website and fill out the form there.