Clock is ticking! Deadline January 31st for enrollment in health insurance through federal marketplace



MILWAUKEE -- The clock is ticking for uninsured Americans. The deadline to enroll in health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act is January 31st. If you're uninsured, you have until then to enroll. The Affordable Care Act will allow for coverage through the end of 2017 -- but beyond that, experts said the future of health insurance is unknown.

Caroline Gomez-Tom knows what health insurance means to the uninsured in Milwaukee.

Caroline Gomez-Tom



"The feeling of peace of mind," Gomez-Tom said.

Gomez-Tom helps people sign up for health care coverage through the ACA.

"We want people to know that their doctors are covered. Their medications are covered, and they`re buying a plan that is within their budget," Gomez-Tom said.

Affordable Care Act



But the clock is ticking!

Caroline Gomez-Tom



"We want to make sure as many people get covered as possible," Gomez-Tom said.

Open enrollment for 2017 ends Tuesday, January 31st. If you're registered by then, you'll be insured through 2017. Beyond that, it's unclear.

"We don`t exactly know how long the process of considering this new legislation is going to take," Philip Rocco, professor at Marquette University said.

Philip Rocco



Rocco wrote "The Obamacare Wars."

He said President Donald Trump's promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act won't change health care overnight, but things could look different in 2018. How different -- time will tell.

"For Republicans, I think the challenge is both keeping the elements of the policy that are popular and doing something that`s different enough so that you can say ,we have a policy that`s ours that`s distinctive. It`s not Obamacare,'" Rocco said.

Affordable Care Act



A partial repeal isn't yet in place. If and when that happens, some in Milwaukee said they'll be ready.

"We`ll still be here to help them understand what other changes might come up in the future," Gomez-Tom said.

Again -- the open enrollment deadline is January 31st.

If you don't have health insurance, you could face hundreds of dollars in fines.

If you need help getting signed up, there are two free last chance sign-up events Monday, January 30th and Tuesday, January 31st in Milwaukee:

Affordable Care Act Last Chance Sign-Up Events:

Monday, January 30th and Tuesday, January 31st

From 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Community Advocates

728 N. James Lovell St., Milwaukee