To avoid insurance gaps, consumers need patience

Published 7:49 am Wednesday, December 25, 2013

CHICAGO — The deadline has passed, and so too the surprise grace period, for signing up for health insurance as part of the nation’s health care law.

Now what?

For those who were able to navigate the glitch-prone and often overwhelmed HealthCare.gov website, there’s still work to be done to make sure success online leads to actual coverage come the new year.

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The first step experts recommend is to call your insurance company and double-check they received your payment.

What if you missed the Christmas Eve deadline and still want insurance in 2014, as the health law requires of most Americans? You may be without health insurance for a month, but you can still sign up for coverage that will start in February.