Continued delays for veterinarians in GHLIT health insurance exchange enrollment
Veterinary members will have to wait until Oct. 1 for 2014 policies.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Group Health and Life Insurance Trust (GHLIT) has opened its Complete Access to Alternative Insurance (CARE) Insurance Exchange/Marketplace to members. The private insurance exchange was created after GHLIT announced the loss of health insurance underwriter New York Life as of Dec. 31, 2013, leaving many members shopping for health insurance for the first time in their careers.
According to the GHLIT, the online exchange was created to help members secure insurance at a "one-stop shop," similar to the state exchanges being created under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed in 2010. "There is an array of insurance options available from a growing list of top carriers—all of which have been chosen specifically for veterinarians," a release from the AVMA GHLIT states.
However, don't expect to be able to view and compare insurance plans on the CARE exchange just yet. Policies for 2014 won't be available until open enrollment under the Affordable Healthcare Act begins Oct. 1. Open enrollment runs through March 31, 2014, but to ensure that insurance coverage is effective Jan. 1, 2014—when the AVMA GHLIT group life insurance underwritten by New York Life expires—members must enroll in a health plan by Dec. 15, 2013.
