Insurance is a necessary evil. Okay, that's my opinion but I am willing to believe more of you agree with me than don't. Another necessary evil is the government. When you combine the two, insurance and government, do you have double the evil?

I certainly hope not. However, for some 200-thousand Louisiana citizens this interesting combo is not evil at all, it's truly a lifesaver.

The Affordable Care Act, often discussed in the media as Obamacare, is currently in its open enrollment period. If you're interested in enrolling in the program then the time to act is now. Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act will come to an end on Sunday January 31.

Signing up for yourself or your family is actually quite simple. Healthcare dot gov CEO Kevin Counihan told the Louisiana Radio Network there are only four things you need to know to get signed up.

Age, zip code, family income, and family size and, in real time, the system will calculate the plans available in their area, what the rates are, and if they qualify for financial help.

From the information generated by the website you can then choose a plan that works best for you, your family, and your financial situation.

62-percent of Louisiana residents are able to find plans for $75 or less after the financial assistance.

So the odds are in your favor that you'll find affordable coverage that will be a benefit to you and your family. Not having health care coverage will now bring a stiffer penalty for Americans that choose not to sign up or don't have a health care plan already.

For an individual, the penalty's now $695, up to a maximum of two-and-a-half-percent of household income.

 Remember the deadline is Sunday night, January 31, 2016. 

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