Anna hospital again offers help with enrollment in health insurance program

Beginning Nov. 1, Union County Hospital in Anna planned to begin helping area residents learn about and enroll in health insurance options on the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Open enrollment was scheduled to begin Nov. 1 and continues through Jan. 31, 2017.

As part of the Affordable Care Act, ACA, most U.S. citizens were required to have health insurance beginning in 2014.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, since the passage of the ACA, about 16.4 million uninsured people have gained health coverage as of May 2015. Yet, approximately 30 million Americans remain uninsured.

Health Plans on Health Insurance Marketplaces

The Health Insurance Marketplace provides U.S. citizens access to affordable health insurance coverage.

Depending on household income, some individuals may qualify for government financial assistance, or subsidies, towards the cost of the premium and other financial obligations like co-pays or deductibles.

All health plans on the Marketplace must offer a comprehensive set of benefits, and coverage cannot be denied for individuals with a pre-existing health condition.

Some of the health benefits include free preventive care and wellness services, doctor visits, prescription drugs, hospital and emergency department care, lab services, pediatric services and more.

The penalty fee for not having insurance has increased this year. If you can afford health insurance coverage, but don’t sign up, you may have to pay a penalty.

For more information about this year’s penalty fees, visit healthcare.gov/fees.

A few of Union County Hospital’s outreach efforts will include: Beginning on Nov. 1, consumers could make an appointment with application coordinators who can help them find affordable health insurance on the Marketplace.

Informational panel cards will be available throughout the facility, in associated clinics and around the community that include a phone number to call to set up an appointment.

Information will be inserted into self-pay and uninsured billing statements.

Though a major function of www.healthcare.gov is assessing whether individuals and families qualify for financial assistance to lower the cost of health insurance, Union County Hospital’s application counselor can perform the same analysis and help with enrollment and re-enrollment.

To make an appointment to meet with the application counselor, call 833-1032.