How to Guide:
Applying for a Federal Subsidy
at HealthCare.gov
Getting to the FFM
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Health Care Reform, is
a federal law that impacts you and your family’s health insurance.
The two biggest changes, under the ACA, are the new Federally
Facilitated Marketplace (FFM) at HealthCare.gov and federal
subsidies. A federal subsidy is financial assistance from the federal
government to help you pay for your health insurance.
Before you begin, you will need to gather some important information about you and your family.
Below is a list of items you will want to have handy.
This brochure will take you through the steps of the application
process of applying for a federal subsidy on the FFM and buying a
plan through BlueCrossNEPAStore.com, using the subsidy.
• Information about any health insurance you or your family could get from your place of work
• Birth dates and tobacco usage for yourself and dependents
• Social Security Numbers (or documents for legal immigrants) for yourself and dependents
• Employer and income information from pay stubs or W-2 forms
• Policy numbers for any current health insurance plan
Once you have everything you need, visit BlueCrossNEPAStore.com and follow the instructions below.
How to apply for a federal subsidy
If you are buying a Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania (BCNEPA) individual health
insurance plan at BlueCrossNEPAStore.com, and want to see if you qualify for a federal
subsidy and for how much, you’ll need to submit an application on the FFM. You’ll start by
going to BlueCrossNEPAStore.com, and then follow the 55 steps we’ve listed on the
following pages. It might sound like a lot of work, but it actually only takes a few minutes.
In this brochure, we list the 55 steps you’ll need to take to apply for a federal subsidy.
These steps are broken out into 9 categories, so you can easily follow along. These
categories include:
Table of
Contents
1 Getting to the FFM
9 Review and Edit your Application
2 Creating an account on the FFM
10 Finishing your Application
3 Starting your Application
11 Back to BlueCrossNEPAStore.com
4 Filling out the Application
12 Reviewing your Information
Step 2: First, read “What to Expect when you Apply for a
Federal Subsidy” and click the “Proceed” button at the
bottom of the page.
7 Gathering your Information
Step 1: Start at BlueCrossNEPAStore.com and click the “Apply for
Federal Subsidy“ at the bottom of the page.
Step 3: If you already have a Blue Cross of Northeastern
Pennsylvania Self-Service account, please login. If not, you
need to create a new account. Once you login or create an
account you will be taken to the Federally Facilitated
Marketplace (FFM) Log In screen.
BlueCrossNEPAStore.com
Applying
for a Federal Subsidy
1
Creating an account on the FFM
Starting your Application
Step 4: On the Log In screen, select
the “Create Account” button
to create your FFM account.
Step 9: Once confirmed, you will see a success screen. Click
the “Continue” button to go to the Log In screen.
Step 5: Follow the steps on the next few pages to create your
account. Use a valid email address, since you will need
to open your email to confirm your new FFM account.
Step 6: Select a username and password to use with
your FFM account.
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BlueCrossNEPAStore.com
Step 7: For better security, please provide 3 security
questions and answers.
Step 8: When your account is created, you will be sent an
email to the address you provided. You will need to
open the link in that email to confirm your account.
Step 10: At the Log In screen, please login using the FFM
account username and password you just created
on the HealthCare.gov site.
Step 11: You will need to accept the Terms & Conditions
to continue.
Step 12: On the next screen, you will need to select the
“Apply and shop for coverage for me and/or my
family” link to begin the application.
Step 13: Read the following screen and be sure you have all the
needed information before you start the application.
Step 14: Before you can start, you will be asked to verify your
identity. Select the “Get Started” button to begin.
Applying
for a Federal Subsidy
3
Start the application on the FFM
Step 17: Once your identity has been verified,
Step 23: In order to apply for a federal subsidy, you will need to
click “Continue.”
Step 15: Fill in all the needed contact information
select the “Yes” button and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 20: Edit or confirm your contact information
and click “Continue.”
and select “Save & Continue.”
Step 24: Select who in your house will be applying for coverage
and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 18: You are now ready to start the application. Be sure
to have everything you need and then click “Next.”
Step 21: If you had any help filling out this information, please
note that on this screen and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 25: Confirm who is applying for coverage. You can edit,
Step 22: In order to have someone help you again, you will need
Step 16: Confirm the “Identity-Related Questions”
and click “Continue.”
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BlueCrossNEPAStore.com
Step 19: Read and accept the Privacy policy and select
“Save & Continue” to proceed.
remove or add people and click “Save & Continue” when
you are done.
to pick and answer a security question to make sure only
those authorized have access to your application. Click
“Save & Continue” when done.
Applying
for a Federal Subsidy
5
Gathering your information
Step 29: Answer the question and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 26: Be sure to have all the required information about
your family and household and click “Next.”
Step 32: Answer the question and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 35: Review your family and household information and
Step 27: Answer the question and click “Save & Continue.”
click “Save & Continue.”
Step 30: Answer the question and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 33: Answer the question and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 34: Answer the question and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 31: Answer the question and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 28: Answer the question and click “Save & Continue.”
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BlueCrossNEPAStore.com
Step 36: Be sure you have all your needed income information
for the next section and click “Next.”
Applying
for a Federal Subsidy
7
Income information
Review and Edit your Application
Step 40: Answer the question and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 37: Select all of your income sources and click
“Save & Continue.”
Step 43: Be sure to have any additional information
requested and click “Next.”
Step 44: When you are ready to review and sign your
application, click “Next.”
Step 38: Supply the required income information
and click “Save.”
Step 39: Answer the question and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 41: Review and edit your income information as needed
and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 42: Review the information and click “Save & Continue.”
Step 45: Review and edit your application information
as needed and click “Save & Continue.”
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BlueCrossNEPAStore.com
Applying
for a Federal Subsidy
9
Finishing your Application
Back to BlueCrossNEPAStore.com
Step 49: Please confirm to your use/non-use of tobacco and
click “Continue” to be taken to your shopping cart.
Step 46: Read the statements and answer. Then click
“Save & Continue.”
Step 52: Read and answer the statements. Sign your
name and click “Continue.”
Step 50: When you get to the shopping cart page on the
Blue Cross Store, click “Add Plan” to shop for your
health insurance plan.
Step 48: Read the statements and answer accordingly.
Then click “Go to Issuer Website” at the bottom
of the screen.
At this point you will leave HealthCare.gov and will
come back to the BlueCrossNEPAStore.com to buy
your plan.
Step 47: Read the statement and answer. Sign
your name and click “Submit Application.”
Step 53: Read the statements and sign your name
Step 51: This screen will show you the plans available and the
and Click “Continue.”
amount of your premium tax credit, if you qualify. Once
you’ve selected a plan, click “Checkout” when you are
ready to buy.
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BlueCrossNEPAStore.com
Applying
for a Federal Subsidy
11
Reviewing your Information
Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania has you covered!
Rest assured, when you choose Blue you get the largest network of providers, local knowledgeable
customer service, and valuable wellness programs—whether you buy your plan on the FFM or on
BlueCrossNEPAStore.com.
If you need help with your federal subsidy application on the FFM, you can call the Federally Facilitated
Marketplace to apply anytime at 1.800.318.2596 (TTY 1.855.889.4325).
You can also call our sales reps 1.866.514.2455 to have your questions answered. Our sales reps are
friendly, knowledgeable and available to answer your questions, weekdays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Or, visit a Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania retail store, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m.
and 5 p.m. Appointments are available evenings and weekends.
Bartonsville Plaza
292 Frantz Road, Suite 109
Bartonsville, PA 18360
Step 54: Review your information and click “Submit.”
Step 55: Review your confirmation page. Keep
your confirmation number in case you
are asked for it.
Once you receive your confirmation, this means that
your application is complete and you have now applied
for coverage for a health insurance plan from Blue Cross
of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Your next step is to be on
the lookout for your ID card, bill and member materials.
And don’t forget to sign up for Self-Service to view
detailed information about your coverage, including
claims activity, Explanation of Benefits and more.
The Blue Cross Store,
Dickson City
Park Center
1019 Commerce Blvd.
Dickson City, PA 18519
Corporate Headquarters
19 North Main Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
The Blue Cross Store,
Bartonsville
In addition to that, the answers to many of your questions can be found at bcnepa.com. And once
you’re enrolled in a Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania plan, you can register/login to Self-Service
which offers:
• Secure email to a service rep
• Access to our Self-Service mobile app for information anytime, anywhere
• Our Doctor/Hospital finder where you can search for doctors, specialists and hospitals in our service
area or anywhere in the U.S.
• Quality and cost rating of doctors in our area
• Valuable wellness programs with Blue Health SolutionsSM
Thank you for trusting Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania with health insurance for you and
your family. We hope this information is helpful and we hope that you will always have a great
experience when using our online services or speaking with us.
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BlueCrossNEPAStore.com
Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania is a Qualified Health Plan issuer
in the Federally Facilitated Marketplace.
Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania administers health care plans offered
by Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Highmark Blue Shield, First Priority
Health® and First Priority Life Insurance Company®.
Independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Registered Mark of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
®
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© Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania. 2014.