Officials See Start of Enrollment As a Great New Opportunity for Health Coverage for Texas Families

SAN ANTONIO,Texas, Sept. 27 -- Families USA issued the following news release:

At a news conference here today, local and state elected officials and San Antonio community leaders made clear that many residents of San Antonio and the rest of the state--a total of almost 2.6 million Texas--will soon have access to new financial assistance that will make quality health coverage affordable for them and their families.

Beginning on October 1, this new financial help through the Affordable Care Act will be available for middle- and moderate-income Texans who do not have meaningful job-based health coverage. The financial help extends to four-person families with annual incomes below $94,200 and individuals with annual incomes below $45,960.

Texans newly eligible for financial help can receive that help through a new health insurance marketplace, which becomes operational on October 1. They can enroll in coverage and receive substantial premium tax credits; the size of the tax credits will vary, with those needing greater help receiving larger tax credits. Texans that enroll this fall will receive this help effective January 1, 2014, when their policies and coverage go into effect.

Another key provision of the new law that also goes into effect on January 1 prohibits insurance companies from denying health coverage, or charging high and discriminatory premiums, to people with pre-existing health conditions. On October 1, an estimated 10.7 million Texans with a pre-existing health condition receive new protections, because insurance companies will be prohibited from denying coverage or charging a discriminatory premium to people with pre-existing conditions.

To enroll starting on October 1, Texans can visit www.healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596. A number of state organizations, listed at http://go.cms.gov/1a8su1q, will be available to provide in-person assistance to consumers to make the enrollment process easy.

"Next week, San Antonio families will be joining families across the USA to obtain affordable health insurance, with no questions asked about pre-existing health conditions," U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), said today. "None of the ongoing antics in Congress can stop our families from exercising their right to choose the private insurance plan that works best for each."

"With nearly 25 percent of Texans uninsured, the mission of Families USA to promote enrollment in the health care exchanges has never been more critical," said Texas State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio), who recently joined the group's board of directors. "I'm proud to serve on the board of this fine organization."

"It is important to understand that even though Governor Perry has refused to set up the new health insurance marketplace in Texas, and even though the governor refused to let Texas participate in the expansion of Medicaid, Texans--like you and your families--can still benefit from the new law," Texas State Rep. Elliott Naishtat (D-Austin), said today. "The federal government has created the insurance marketplace for us and there are many ways for you to determine whether you and your family will be eligible to obtain health coverage."

"This is a tremendous opportunity to improve the health of our community," said George B. Hernandez Jr., President & CEO, University Health System. "University Health System will work collaboratively with organizations across Bexar County to provide information, and assist individuals and families in understanding their options for affordable health coverage."

"Next week marks the beginning of what we, as a faith-based, nonprofit health care organization serving the least served across South Texas, hope will be transformative for those who previously had no access to care because they were uninsured," said Kevin C. Moriarty, President & CEO, Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. "We know that 30 percent of the individuals who receive medical, dental, and behavioral health services at MHM clinics in San Antonio are eligible to get coverage through the marketplace--and that is just a fraction of the folks who we know live in our community that are uninsured. To say this is a pivotal moment is an understatement, and we know lives will change because of it."</p>

"Texas working families, particularly a disproportionate number of Latinos, have endured decades of health and financial insecurity," Juan Flores, Executive Director, La Fe Policy Research & Education Center, said today. "The Affordable Care Act provides us the opportunity to significantly reduce the 6.4 million uninsured Texans NOW! We must expand the Medicaid program and take full advantage of the health insurance exchange."

"Starting next week, Texans will be able to take historic steps toward securing high-quality, affordable health coverage and care," Phil Villers, President of Families USA, said today. "It will be up to all of us to make sure that everyone is aware of the new benefits and protections Texans can receive, and that as many people as possible get enrolled in new coverage."

A recent analysis by the consumer health organization Families USA not only describes the new benefits and protections that will soon become available for Texans, but it also lists the benefits already provided through the Affordable Care Act, such as:

* Approximately 357,000 young adults in Texas have gained insurance by staying on their parents' health policies until they turn 26.

* 726,267 Texans received rebates totaling $46,327,708 from their insurance companies in 2012 because those companies failed to spend at least 80-85 percent of their premium dollars on health care.

* 1,795,711 Medicare beneficiaries in Texas received at least one cost-free preventive service--such as an annual check-up, mammogram, or bone mass measurement--in 2012.

* In 2012, 206,304 Medicare Part D beneficiaries in Texas received discounts on brand-name drugs while in the coverage gap known as the "doughnut hole," with an average $680 in savings per beneficiary.

Additionally, the law has already protected numerous Texans by ending lifetime caps in insurance coverage, offering free preventive care in new private insurance plans, and providing tax credits to small businesses to help them afford health coverage for their employees.

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