As COVID-19 Affects Job Situations, Some Mississippi Residents Must Look for New Health Coverage

JACKSON, Miss., April 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 6.6 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week – breaking a record for the U.S. that was set the previous week.

For many of these Americans, however, losing a job doesn't just create worry about providing for their families. It also raises concerns about protecting their health during a pandemic. About half of all Americans get their health insurance through their employer, so for many people, being newly unemployed brings with it uncertainty about how to navigate their health coverage options.

It's important for Mississippians who have lost their jobs to know that the Affordable Care Act includes a provision that gives people 60 days to enroll in health care after a qualifying life event, such as job loss.

There are a variety of affordable health coverage options, including the Health Insurance Marketplace through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Health Insurance Marketplace has unique characteristics and requirements as outlined below:

• Health Insurance Marketplace is for anyone who doesn't receive employer-provided coverage, and it allows people to choose from multiple health insurance plans to find the right coverage:
• Enrollment is available during a special enrollment period (SEP). Once a person experiences a qualifying life event such as job loss, they have 60 days to enroll.
• Financial assistance is available for Marketplace coverage if a person's expected 2020 income will be 100%-400% of the federal poverty level, which is $12,490-$49,960 for an individual and $25,750-$103,000 for a family of four.
• To be eligible for coverage, a person must live in the United States, be a U.S. citizen or national, and can't be incarcerated. Healthcare.gov has more details on eligibility.
• To find out what qualifies for SEP and shop for ACA coverage, visit Healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325).

The Marketplace provides an alternative that's often more affordable than COBRA, the health insurance program that allows people to continue their employer-provided coverage if they have lost their job, and it's important to understand the differences. While COBRA maintains a person's existing coverage, they will pay 100 percent of the cost plus an additional 2% in administrative costs. Subsidies to reduce costs are not available through COBRA, and coverage can last between 18 to 36 months, depending on the circumstances of job loss. However, it will eventually expire, and a person may be required to find new coverage, either through employment or the ACA Marketplace.

"The impacts of the COVID-19 public health crisis are far reaching. It's not only affecting people's health, but also their employment situation and ability to access healthcare," said Aaron Sisk, plan president & CEO at Ambetter from Magnolia Health. "At Ambetter from Magnolia Health, we want to support our communities in making informed decisions about their health coverage options, so they can access they care they need."

Ambetter from Magnolia Health is available to help people navigate health insurance options during this public health crisis. For information about COVID-19, please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) website. For any questions about health insurance coverage options, please visit Ambetter from Magnolia Health's website or call 1-877-687-1187 (Relay 711).

About Magnolia Health
Magnolia Health is a long-term solution to help the state of Mississippi enhance care for Medicaid recipients, while most effectively managing taxpayer dollars. A physician-driven, Mississippi-based Coordinated Care Organization (CCO), Magnolia is backed by its parent company, Centene Corporation (Centene). Centene has more than 30 years of experience in Medicaid and other government-funded programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and long-term care. For more information about Magnolia, visit www.magnoliahealthplan.com.

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SOURCE Magnolia Health