Your Daily News Guide to Obamacare: Getting started and getting insured

Marcus Santos/New York Daily News

Nancy Jovishoff never had to worry about health insurance - until last year when she found herself out of a job.

With her COBRA insurance about to run out, the 62-year-old Queens mom started considering her options, and they didn't look good.

Going on her husband's employer-sponsored health insurance plan would have been 'outrageously expensive.'

Then, Jovishoff, a freelance market researcher, began parsing through the plans on New York State's health insurance exchange, NY State of Health.

After making calls to insurance companies and comparing policies, she signed up for a silver-tier plan from North Shore-LIJ CareConnect Insurance.

The monthly premium to cover herself and her son will be $713, far less than what she would have paid had she bought a plan on the individual market.

'It's expensive - but it's much better than the alternative,' she said. 'We got lucky.'

You've heard all of the horror stories about Obamacare. Technical disasters at the federal health insurance website have kept national enrollment low, while the unexpected cancellation of plans unleashed a public outcry.

But here in New York, tens of thousands of people like Jovishoff have already signed up for insurance, and many have reason to feel lucky, too.

New York is one of 16 states that chose to build its own website. While there were problems early on, it has been working ever since.

RELATED: YOUR DAILY NEWS GUIDE TO OBAMACARE: FINDING A PERFECT PLAN

According to the most recent data from NY State of Health, 91,103 people have enrolled in plans and 284,440 have completed applications.

Enrollment has been building in recent weeks and the momentum is expected to continue as we approach Dec. 23, the deadline for purchasing plans that become effective on Jan. 1.

The costs of plans here are 53% lower than they would be in the individual market, NY State of Health says.

'We have had overwhelming interest,' Danielle Holahan, the exchange's deputy director, told the Daily News. 'We are meeting and exceeding our expectations.'

What does that mean to you? If you are uninsured or are unhappy with your health insurance, now is the time to go shopping - and the Daily News is here to help you along the way.

Our Guide to the Affordable Care Act Part II ( Part I can be found at here) will help you understand your new coverage options.

We'll tell you how to navigate the exchange, tell you what to consider when making a choice, introduce you to some new health insurance companies and clear up some common misconceptions.

First, you should know the basics:

-- You must purchase insurance by Mar. 31 or face a penalty of $95 or 1% of your income, whichever is greater.

-- On New York's marketplace, you'll be able to compare plans from 16 insurance companies.

RELATED: YOUR DAILY NEWS GUIDE TO OBAMACARE: MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS

-- If you are an individual earning up to $45,900 a year or a family of four earning up to $94,200 a year, you may be eligible for financial assistance that can dramatically reduce your costs.

For instance, if a family of four - two kids and two adults - living in Brooklyn with an income of $50,000 were to purchase a silver-level plan from MetroPlus, the premiums would be $718 a month. But tax credits would bring the out-of-pocket costs down to $268 a month, according to NY State of Health.

-- Costs are just one consideration. It's important that you do your homework to see if you the health professionals and facilities you like are in the network.

'These are generally narrow network products,' said Dan Mendelson, CEO of Avalere Health.

The bottom line: take the time to make the right decision. That's especially important for those who have never had insurance before.

'Don't wait until the last minute,' said Bertram Scott, CEO of Affinity Health Plan, which is selling on the exchange.

'This is an important decision.'

Jovishoff spent a month doing research and there were plenty of eye openers. Many plans she looked at did not include her doctors.

Most, but not all, of the doctors she sees are part of North Shore-LIJ's network, but she will be restricted to using its hospitals. Even so, she is grateful.

'Obamacare is far, far from perfect,' said Jovishoff's husband Michael, 67.

RELATED: YOUR DAILY NEWS GUIDE TO OBAMACARE: OSCAR'S NEW TAKE ON INSURANCE

'But without it, health care would have been untenable, even for upper middle-class people like us.'

pfurman@nydailynews.com

--------

Can't do this yourself? There's free help out there.

On the phone:

New Yorkers can receive enrollment assistance by calling the NY State of Health customer service center at 1-855-355-5777.

In person:

Enrollment assistance is available to New Yorkers through In-Person Assistors/Navigators.

To find help near you, go to http://www.healthbenefitexchange.ny.gov/IPANavigatorSiteLocations.

Other helpful resources:

Kff.org: The Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit focusing on major health care issues, offers a treasure trove of information and helpful online tools, including an animated video on the Affordable Care Act and a health insurance subsidy calculator.

HealthLawHelper.org: This Web-based tool from Consumer Reports offers personalized guidance to help consumers better understand how they might be affected by the health care law.