Take Care Utah Provides Free Remote Assistance for Utahns Who Need Health Care
Salt Lake City, UT – The healthcare.gov Marketplace is now open for business, and ‘Take Care Utah’ is offering free virtual assistance to help Utahns enroll while maintaining social distance.
Open Enrollment for the Affordable Care Act Marketplace Begins November 1st
This year, Regence BlueCross BlueShield joins Utah’s 2021 Marketplace, alongside the University of Utah Health Plans, SelectHealth, Molina Healthcare, Cigna Healthcare and BridgeSpan Health Company, adding more coverage options for Utahns than last year. With more plans in the market, Utah has seen stabilizing premium rates on the Marketplace, with several plans offered at a lower cost. Right now, there are many affordable options for people to choose from to fit their health care needs – including plans with $0 premiums and $0 deductibles. Some plans are also offering no-deductible office visits and other benefits that provide additional flexibility.
Utahns may be unaware of the premium-assistance and cost-sharing reduction subsidies that make health insurance more affordable. In fact, more than 80% of Utahns had financial assistance last year, and approximately 2 in 3 healthcare.gov applicants can find a plan with a $10 monthly premium. This sliding-scale cost assistance is available for individuals and families up to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level – which is $104,800 annually for a family of four.
Although oral arguments will be heard on November 10th, the California v Texas ACA repeal Supreme Court case will not impact open enrollment this year, and Utahns should take advantage of this open enrollment opportunity to get covered. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis have been challenging for all. The Affordable Care Act offers options and relief through the individual Marketplace and Medicaid expansion. With many families experiencing changes in income and loss of insurance, these health coverage options are available to more Utahns than ever before.
Even if they enrolled last year, Utahns should reassess their options to make sure they have an affordable plan that is right for them. Medicaid and CHIP offer year-round enrollment, but this open enrollment period is the perfect time for families to explore their options. Following full Medicaid expansion, which began in January 2020 there are even more coverage options for Utahns this year.
Take Care Utah is eager to educate Utahns about what consumers should look out for this enrollment period, especially when the need for health care is so great.
“Take Care Utah has remote capabilities to reach communities statewide, book a virtual appointment with a health access assister today,” said Luis Rios, Lead Broker for ‘Take Care Utah’. “We offer services in various languages and have many options for appointments like video chats, screen sharing, or even a simple phone call. Let us help you navigate your health care options. And best of all, our services are free.”
Sarah Leetham, Healthy Kids Program Director for ‘Take Care Utah’ said, “Thousands of eligible children here in Utah go without coverage every year. Many times, families grow tired of encountering barriers through the enrollment process and never successfully enroll. This is especially true for immigrant and mixed-status families. Having an advocate like ‘Take Care Utah’ can make the difference for families accessing coverage.”
Utahns across the state can book their free, virtual appointment here: takecareutah.org/bookings
Take Care Utah, a Utah Health Policy Project initiative, is a network of non-profit organizations all across Utah focused on helping people navigate the health care system, from enrolling them in insurance to helping them find a doctor. They work throughout Utah to eliminate the barriers that inhibit people from accessing health insurance, specifically underserved communities. During this time of social distancing, UHPP’s Take Care Utah health access assisters have a variety of remote enrollment options. Find us at www.TakeCareUtah.org and healthpolicyproject.org/remote-enrollment-options/
