CMS has announced a special health insurance exchange sign-up period for Pre-Existing Conditions Insurance Plan enrollees.
The 60-day enrollment period applies to people covered by the PCIP who have not yet found an alternate source of coverage through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act marketplaces by May 1, according to a CMS bulletin.
PCIP benefits end April 30. The $5 billion program was intended to help sick people waiting for the full implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which prohibits insurers from refusing to cover people with pre-existing conditions. It was originally scheduled to stop operating at the end of 2013.
However, in December, the Obama administration announced it would extend the program by one month to give people more time to purchase health plans through the exchanges. In January, officials announced an additional extension through March 31 to give people with pre-existing conditions even more time to shop for coverage while still receiving ongoing care through the program. The program was extended yet again last month to provide benefits through next Wednesday.
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