The deadline to enroll in health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is Sunday, Feb. 15, and there are local resources to help consumers get more information and obtain insurance. The South Cumberland Plateau Health Network is sponsoring two Marketplace enrollment events.
The Health Insurance Marketplace helps people without health coverage enroll in a high-quality plan. When you apply, you’ll learn if you qualify for a health insurance plan with savings based on your income, and learn if you qualify for premium tax credits that lower the costs of coverage.
From 1 to 4 p.m., today (Friday), Jan. 30, free in-person assistance will be available for the Marketplace at the Smoke House Restaurant in Monteagle. Certified ACA navigators and application counselors will be on-site. They will be able to answer questions about eligibility and enrollment procedures, assist consumers with the enrollment process and facilitate options for insurance premium reductions.
At Emerald-Hodgson Hospital in Sewanee, free assistance will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 31. There will be certified ACA navigators and application counselors to help. To enroll in ACA, folks must bring the following information: proof of identity; Social Security numbers and birth dates for individuals in the household; pay stubs, W-2 forms; policy numbers for any current insurance coverage; and a valid email address.
People who were enrolled in the 2014 Marketplace should not file their income taxes until they receive IRS form 1095-A from the Department of Health and Human Services. When it arrives, verify that the information is correct and keep copies of it. If there is a problem with the form, go to <www.healthcare.gov/tax-issues> or call (800) 318-2596 to get it corrected. If you filed your tax return before you received the 1095-A form, you must file an amended federal income tax return.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that as of Jan. 16, more than 184,000 Tennesseans have signed up in the Health Insurance Marketplace. However, many people are unaware that free assistance is available, that those who fail to obtain insurance may be subject to a fine, and that the enrollment deadline is near.
Financial help may be available in the form of tax credits to help pay for plans. According to federal reports released recently, 83 percent of Tennesseans who selected a Marketplace plan qualified for such financial assistance, and three-quarters of Tennesseans who selected a plan during the first month could find coverage for less than $100 per month. In 2015, Tennesseeans can choose from five issuers in the Marketplace; there are an average of 71 health plans this year, up from 48 in 2014.
Help is also available from a number of organizations.
Katie Goforth, network director of the South Cumberland Plateau Health Network, can be reached at (615) 417-7258 or by email, <Goforth.SCPHN@gmail.com>.
The Mission of the South Cumberland Plateau Health Network is to improve the health and quality of life for the people of the region.
To contact a certified ACA navigator, call the Medical Foundation in Chattanooga at (423) 622-2872 or a certified application counselor at Erlanger Health Systems, (423) 778-7828.
There is also information available online at <www.HealthCare.gov>; or call (800) 318-2596; or find local in-person assistance by going to <www.localhelp.healthcare.gov>.
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