NYS of Health – Is it possible to switch to a new plan after just starting a new one? (Healthfirst plans)

For context, Im very new to health insurance because I was under my parents insurance then Medicaid until I got kicked off due to a slight income increase. So please don't judge me, Im still learning how this all works.

I recently switched to a new health insurance plan (Healthfirst Bronze Leaf Premier) through NYS of health's website. According to their website, the plans I qualified for all had fairly high deductibles (anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000). The premiums were lower due to my qualifying for advanced premium tax credit to help pay the premiums. I picked a plan with a deductible of 6,000, not fully understanding what this means until after I enrolled and payed the first premium. I definitely cant afford $6,000 worth of medical expenses and I also see a specialist every year for annual breast MRI's due to a high risk of developing breast cancer.

I feel like Im totally SCREWED until the next open enrollment but was wondering if anyone had any luck switching plans between open enrollment? My boyfriend suggested I call Healthfirst directly and speak to one of their reps because he was able to switch to a better plan, but the difference is he hasn't paid the premium yet. Im still going to try calling Healthfirst instead of NYS of health (NYS is incredibly unhelpful), but any advice is helpful.

submitted by /u/almondmilkpls
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