Did you know that the deadline to sign up for individual or family health insurance in the Affordable Care Act Marketplace is coming up on March 31?

If you want your insurance coverage to begin on April 1, it is best to enroll by March 15. If you sign up after March 15 but before April 1, your insurance coverage will begin on May 1. The healthcare.gov website is working fine now and you can use the site to apply for health coverage, compare plans, and enroll online. You can also enroll in the Marketplace two other ways: 1.) by phone or, 2.) by getting in-person help with your application by meeting with a certified Navigator or “Assister.”

If your income is too high to qualify for a subsidy to lower the cost of coverage, you can buy health coverage directly through an insurance company, an agent or broker, or an online insurance seller. Whether you sign up for insurance in the Marketplace or outside of the Marketplace, all plans must now cover pre-existing conditions, essential health benefits and preventive care. The two insurance companies that offer plans in the Marketplace are Maine Community Health Options and Anthem. The websites for both of these companies also let you calculate costs and look plans over before you sign up.

Some people who would qualify for health-care insurance in the Marketplace are still hesitant to sign up or even explore the healthcare.gov site. Their reasons may include being uncomfortable with making a decision about the best health-care plan for themselves, or denying that they might even be vulnerable enough to need health care insurance.

I have heard from one young woman who told me that if she were in an accident or had a sudden acute illness, the emergency room and hospital would just have to treat her “for free” even if she had no insurance or money to pay for care. Unfortunately, folks do not understand that hospitals do not have a pile of money in a back room, and that the costs of paying for care for the uninsured just gets passed along to everyone else. In my view, being responsible for yourself means signing up for insurance in some form. And to think that you are so “special” that no illness or accident could befall you, is just wishful thinking.

A significant number of people who have already signed up for insurance in the Marketplace are those who are in the 40-65 year range, and many are veterans. Many have had pre-existing conditions of a minor and easily treatable nature but they have been precluded from being able to purchase insurance or have not been able to purchase quality insurance at a rate they were able to afford.

Now it is time for our young adults to step up and take responsibility for making sure they have insurance, whether they purchase insurance in or out of the Marketplace. It is part of taking on grown-up responsibilities and becoming a fully functioning member of society. Admittedly, it is a challenge, if you have never had to think about choosing a health insurance plan before, to know what might be best for your individual or family needs. That is why meeting with a certified Navigator or “Assister” is often a good first step in learning about the various plans. The Navigators and Assisters do not work for an insurance company. They may be volunteers or they may work for a community health or a social service agency. But their advice is free, confidential and unbiased. (He or she has no financial or other interest in the plans purchased.)

One of these volunteer Navigators is Amy March. Amy is available by phone or she can meet with anyone who is interested in purchasing insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. Amy will be happy to help anyone set up an account, complete an application to lower premium costs and purchase a health insurance plan through the Marketplace. Again, her assistance is free, confidential and unbiased. To make an appointment or to just ask a question, call Amy March at 207-452-2493.

Maurie Hill, RN, is a Standish resident.