EDITORIAL: Our View: Uninsured should ‘Get Connected,’ look into health benefits exchange

Oct. 31--The number of U.S. citizens without health insurance rose last year for the first time in nearly a decade. It is still well below the pre-Obamacare levels, but some 27.5 million people, or 8.5 percent of the population, were without insurance in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That was nearly 2 million more than the previous year, the first percentage increase since 2009.

Low-income families are most affected. According to the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on healthcare issues, one in five uninsured adults in 2017 went without needed medical care due to cost. Studies show that the uninsured are less likely to receive preventive care and services for major health conditions and chronic diseases, and when they do seek care, they are twice as likely to have problems paying medical bills.

While insurance is no longer mandated at the cost of a federal tax penalty, everyone loses when the uninsured forego care or receive care they can't afford. So we urge anyone who has been uninsured to look into changing that. For those who don't have the option of health insurance through employment, plans available through Maryland's individual insurance marketplace, the Maryland Health Connection, begin open enrollment on Friday, Nov. 1

Michele Eberle, executive director of the Maryland Health Benefits Exchange, noted that there is a "Get Connected" event hosted by Access Carroll (10 Distillery Drive, Westminster, Suite 200) on Saturday, Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those who attend will be able to sign up for health insurance or to simply learn more about the different plans available, including eligibility for tax credits or Medicaid. In Carroll County, 3,026 people were enrolled in plans purchased through the Maryland Health Connection in 2019.

Can't make it to Access Carroll on Saturday? "We always encourage people to call if they have questions related either to the current plan they are enrolled in, whether they are shifting plans, or whether they are eligible," Traci Kodeck, CEO of HealthCare Access Maryland, told us. HealthCare Access Maryland is a nonprofit that functions as the "connector" organization for Carroll County, operating a call center and providing individuals known as navigators who can help answer questions about Medicaid and Maryland Health Connection insurance plans.

As in years past, those making below a certain income threshold may be eligible for Medicaid, while others may be eligible for tax credits that reduce the cost of insurance. A family of four making less than $35,532 per year would be eligible for Medicaid, whereas that same family could qualify for a tax credit while making up to $100,400 annually. More information on plans and tax credit estimates are available on the connection website at www.marylandhealthconnection.gov.

According to Eberle, people shopping on the individual marketplace could see opportunities for lower premium plans, as well as lower deductibles compared with 2019 and 2018. Average premiums dropped 13 percent in 2019 compared with 2018, she said, and average premiums are expected to decrease another 10 percent for 2020. According to information provided by Eberle, the monthly premiums for the lowest-cost Silver plans for a 40-year-old person in 2018 were $465 from CareFirst HMO, $686 from CareFirst PPO and $373 from Kaiser Permanente. Those same plans in 2020 will have monthly premiums of $341, $626 and $366, respectively.

New this year are mandated "value plans," said Eberle, which require insurers offer more services without requiring a deductible be met first, although they can charge a co-pay. There will also be a special enrollment window for women who become pregnant that will give her 35 days from the date her doctor confirms she is pregnant to apply for a health plan that will cover her for the duration of the pregnancy.

So, beginning Friday, it's a perfect time to evaluate health insurance options. In addition to the Get Connected event on Saturday, HealthCare Access Maryland navigators will be available by appointment 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Carroll County Department of Social Services and at Access Carroll. Call 410-500-4710 or 855-654-8572 to make an appointment. Open enrollment runs through Dec. 15.

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