Five reasons to get covered during Healthcare.gov open enrollment

If you need a quality, affordable health insurance plan, now is the time to enroll for 2023. Open Enrollment is under way and ends Jan. 15, 2023. (If you need coverage to begin January 1, you must enroll by December 15.)

The Healthcare.gov Marketplace is open, and Pisgah Legal Services' certified navigators offer free help so you get the facts on Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance.

Plans on Healthcare.gov are now more affordable to more people. Explore your options and find a plan that works for you and your family.

Here are five reasons to get covered:

Your family may qualify for new savings. The Biden Administration recently fixed what has been called "the family glitch." Some families who previously were not eligible for financial assistance, and found employer coverage too expensive, may now be eligible for tax credits.

More than 200,000 uninsured people could gain coverage, and nearly one million Americans can see their coverage become more affordable.

It's more affordable. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimate that four out of five people will find plans for $10 or less/month. Tax credits through the Healthcare.gov Marketplace can help reduce your monthly premiums. Certified navigators and assisters can help you calculate the amount you are eligible to receive.

You can't be denied for pre-existing conditions. All ACA plans are required to cover essential benefits, including doctor and hospital visits, prescription drugs, mental health treatment and maternity care. Consumers also receive free preventive care services, such as immunizations and health screenings.

Local nonprofits offer free assistance understanding your options. Pisgah Legal Services has been offering free Open Enrollment help for a decade, since the very first year it began. We work with these WNC Enrollment Partners to bring free assistance to as many people as possible: Council on Aging of Buncombe County; Blue Ridge Community Health Services; Legal Aid of North Carolina; Mountain Projects; and the Western Carolina Medical Society.

Each year, we help thousands of local people make the best choices for themselves and their families.

Free help is available near you, and there is no pressure to enroll. Meet with a certified navigator or assister to get the facts on ACA health insurance and find a plan that works for you and your family. There is never any pressure to pick a plan – the decision is totally up to you.

Pisgah Legal is holding a series of Open Enrollment events in Avery County. A Navigator will be onsite at the Pisgah Legal Services office every other Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Jan. 10, 2023. Please call in advance to confirm availability. The Pisgah Legal Services Newland office is located at 723 Cranberry St., Newland.

Make a free appointment online at www.pisgahlegal.org/healthcare or call (828) 210-3404. Assistance is available in English and Spanish.