Ron Bliss guest col: Sign-ups for 2016 health insurance end Jan. 31

Come Sunday it will be “turn out the lights. The party’s over.’’ And I am not talking football here. Sunday is the final day individuals can sign up for health insurance in 2016 -- unless special circumstances allow them to sign up between Feb. 1 and Oct. 31.

In past years, there has been an extension past open enrollment — but not this year.

If you fail to sign up by Sunday, you will have to wait until the next open enrollment period of Nov. 1, 2016, to Jan. 31 of 2017, to enroll for coverage that would not begin before Jan. 1, 2017.

Not only will you be liable for all of your medical bills, if something happens, but you will also pay a tax penalty that is 2.5 percent of your gross income or $695 per adult and $347.50 per child — whichever is greater. There is a cap of $2085 put on the fine this year, which is the national average of a Bronze plan.

You must have “creditable” coverage to avoid the penalty. Included are coverage at the Veterans Administration, Tricare coverage, Medicare (Part A only qualifies) or Medicaid.

To assist those who have not yet signed up, Affordable Healthcare Pros will be open Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m., to 6 p.m. (or later on Sunday, if needed).

Our office is located at 2307 N. Carson Street in Carson City (behind Denny’s restaurant).

You can also call us at one of the following numbers:

Office Number: 775-883-3414.

Carson City Numbers: 775-450-6769; 775-450-6867, 775-450-7754 or 775-224-7169.

Or Las Vegas lines: 702- 721-3657 or 702-721-3810.

We offer a wide variety of health insurance coverage and can take care of your healthcare needs – both on and off exchanges in both Nevada and California. There is NO CHARGE for our services.

Ron Bliss is a former long-time sports writer who has been doing health insurance since 2009. He is certified on both Covered California and the Nevada Health Link and can sell products on and off both exchanges. Affordable Healthcare Pros also offers a variety of dental plans to include dental-vision-hearing plans in both states, as well as a wide variety of Medicare supplements and other health supplemental products to include critical illness, short-term care, disability, plans to cover in-home or nursing home costs, accidents and hospital indemnity policies.