Here we go again.  Not only, as I’ve reported before, has TheDonald shortened the open season for PPACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare), but he and his minions have been hard at work to prove that it is failing.  By making it fail- or at least continually trying to kill it.

Although this video (and the on eat the bottom of the page) is dated, it does have basic information that may help you navigate PPACA

The first thing?  (OK.  It’s not the first thing, but it’s the first one that I will mention.)   TheDonald has stopped using the funds required to promote information so the uninsured will sign up (and, therefore, have patient protection).  But, TheDonald has actually used the funds to promote the opinions of those who find Obamacare to be a burden.    (There are at least 20 of these- on the government’s own pages.  Here’s one.   Here’s another.  You can find them on the HHS pages on the web.)  Why?  Because TheDonald says these are vital for Americans to see and understand how to obtain affordable health care.  (Oh.  Sure.   Another alternative fact.   Because these are clearly partisan- just consider the second video from Dr. Jill Vecchio.)

Let’s not forget that Dr. Tom Price (TheDonald’s inspired (???) choice to head HHS, only to be exceeded by his inspired choice of Scott Pruitt to head the EPA) has been against Obamacare for years.  (And, the “medical” association to which he belongs has been against Medicare and Medicaid, since its inception.  But, then again, he also railed against government use of private charters when in Congress, but now uses them [even for personal travel] often.)  So, he has produced- using Federal funds and bearing the HHS logo- 48 separate infographics decrying Obamacare, which is, of course,  the law of the land.  (Again, just one representative sample for your emetic purposes.)

TheDonald has also decided to ensure that the shortened (45 days, not the 90 days of old) open season will be difficult to traverse.  Because, “for maintenance purposes”, the HHS site will be off-line EVERY Sunday during open season.  (Again- ONLY during open season.)  Why Sunday?  Because it has been the busiest day of use.  (It also means that the 45 day open season is really just 39 days.)

And, now, there’s this.  (Sorry, John Oliver, your segment title really worked for me here!)  Instead of providing vital information on how one can become insured by Obamacare and learning about what is part of the legislation, the HHS site has removed said data.   For example, the link on HHS.gov site to the Affordable Care Act- About the Law [the bottom choice on the page, below HIPAA, TANF, Head Start, Poverty, and Job & Careers at HHS] has been completely removed.   As are the links to benefit summaries, doctor’s choice, and overviews of the law have also been erased from the site.

This is exactly why I recommended all of you go the  PPACA site.  Now!  Make sure you remember your sign-on and password.  (I always remember my sign-on, I almost always forget my password- or, it has already expired, since it doesn’t survive 12 months…)   So, that now- when there are fewer people traversing the site (it’s not open season yet), you can make sure you will have easy access,when you need it.

If you already insured by PPACA, click on this link, once you are in.   This should provide you with the costs for next year’s plan.  And, give you time to examine alternative plans that provide the same- or better- coverage for less money.  (When I was participating in Obamacare [being an old fart, I am now on Medicare], my plan increased by 25% in year 2- so I switched to an alternative plan [having the same doctor choices and coverage]  plan for a few pennies different.  And, year 3, with a similar price increase on the horizon, I switched back to plan 1- for, actually, a lower price than I paid in year 2.)

You will NOT be able to change plans until 1 November- but that change does not take effect until 1 January 2018.  But, given the cuts in budget, cuts in call center staffing, etc., you need to ensure you have quick and simple access.  So, update your information- NOW.

And, if you aren’t covered by PPACA, check out your choices, so come 1 November, you will be able to make an intelligent choice.

Because Open Season ends 15 December.  And, given the “maintenance” shut downs, much less than half the duration that was provided in years past- with the same number of folks desperately trying to get insured.

Good luck!

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