November 1, 2022
(Austin) – Central Health, Travis County’s Hospital District, is urging residents to take advantage of free local assistance to enroll in health insurance for 2023. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) Health Insurance Marketplace (Marketplace) opens Tuesday, Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 15, 2023.
To enroll in health insurance through the ACA, Travis County residents can call 2-1-1 to connect with someone locally who can assist with the application process. In addition, Foundation Communities, Central Texas’ largest Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Navigator organization, is scheduling “Get Ready” appointments. Visit foundcom.org/prosper-centers/health-coverage, or call (512) 381-4520.
Central Health also has information and useful links on their website at www.centralhealth.net/getenrolled (www.centralhealth.net/es/inscribase in Spanish).
Health Insurance Changes Lives
According to 2020 five-year estimates from the American Community Survey, 12.3% of Travis County residents under the age of 65 were uninsured as of 2020, compared to 17.3% of Texas residents. Even though Travis County beats the state’s average, there are still thousands needing access to affordable health coverage.
Mariah Adeeko, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, grew up without health insurance, leading to high medical bills for her parents. Once the ACA became law, however, Adeeko’s family enrolled in coverage through the Marketplace.
“It wasn’t until we were offered health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace that we were able to obtain fairly inexpensive health insurance,” she said. “We now had the freedom to pick amongst a group of doctors that could see us without the worry of breaking the bank. The ACA gave coverage to my entire family, for the first time in our lives.”
Low-cost Health Insurance for Qualifying Individuals
The ACA provides tax credits to help pay for health insurance premiums to people who buy coverage through the Marketplace. Sliding-scale subsidies lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs for people who qualify. All health plans must cover 10 essential health benefits, ranging from outpatient care to hospitalization to prescription drugs.
Marketplace plans cover treatment for pre-existing medical conditions and cannot terminate coverage due to a change in health status, including diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19.
“The annual open enrollment period ia a critical time for people’s health,” said Mike Geeslin, President & CEO of Central Health. “Central Health believes everyone deserves access to quality healthcare, but we recognize they don’t always receive it because of a lack of health coverage. Thanks to the Marketplace, families can find the right coverage at an affordable price that works best for them – and we are urging them not to delay. Speak to an enrollment assistant today.”
Visit www.centralhealth.net/getenrolled for more information.