NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Open enrollment season for health insurance is just a few weeks away, and many people are worried about paying more for premiums and deductibles in the new year.
Some federal funding that helps lower premiums is set to end, which is one of the main sticking points in the current government shutdown.
That means there’s a good chance people will be paying more for coverage starting in January.
"A lot of people are nervous because they're hearing things are changing, but they're not really understanding how they're going to change," said Emilie Fauchet, an Affordable Care Act Navigator with Family and Children's Service in Nashville.
Navigators, like Fauchet, help people sign up for marketplace insurance plans.
Fauchet said one of the best ways to prepare for higher costs is to make sure you use the coverage you have now.
"If you're thinking, well, maybe I should go get a skin check at the dermatologist, but I could wait six months to do that. I can wait a year. It's not urgent. Go ahead and get that now," Fauchet said.
If you take medication, make sure to do one last fill at the end of the year, too.
Fauchet said if you're struggling to pay for your premiums when the new rates come out, you could even opt for coverage without dental or vision to save a little money.
However, if you do that, make sure you do those visits this year.
"Go get your dental visit, get your eye exam because usually those things are very affordable if you have insurance," Fauchet said.
Fauchet offered other advice for folks when they sign up for their plan this year, including to make sure you estimate your future income correctly, and before you sign up, check to see if your doctors will be in the network for the plan you choose.
There's a bigger concern — many advocates are worried people will be priced out of insurance altogether.
Tennessee Justice Center's Michele Johnson said more than 200,000 Tennesseans may end up being uninsured in the new year if that federal funding to help pay goes away.
"Then they go without the care that they might need, which results in expensive and more complicated health conditions," said Johnson, executive director for the Tennessee Justice Center.
In addition to filling prescriptions and seeing your doctor now, Johnson recommends getting in touch with your lawmaker if you'd like that federal funding to stay.
Open enrollment for those marketplace plans starts November 1.
You can sign up for those ACA plans at Healthcare.gov.
This story was reported on-air by Robb Coles and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Coles verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
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