Following liquidation of Friday Health Plans, most enrollees finding new insurance
After the state of
Fenolio, 46, was worried about how she would pay for surgery given she had already reached her out-of-pocket maximum for the year with her previous insurer,
However, with the help of the state's insurance marketplace, Nevada Health Link, Fenolio was able to sign up for new insurance and get coverage for her surgery. Community donations through a GoFundMe page offset the other surgery costs, special surgical bras, shirts for after the surgery and medications.
"That was fantastic," Fenolio said in a recent interview about the financial support from the community. "It has cost quite a bit with the new insurance and trying to figure everything out and the co-pays … with me not being able to go to work."
Fenolio was one of more than 2,670 Nevadans who lost their
As of
Russell Cook, executive director of the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange, said despite the data indicating that 685 people have entirely lost their health care coverage, a "significant number" had enrolled themselves in a new insurance program outside the exchange, sometimes with help from the Nevada Health Link team.
In an email, Cook said many of those individuals lived in rural counties and had limited insurance options on the exchange after Friday left the marketplace.
He noted that the exchange worked directly with Fenolio throughout August to resolve a Medicaid eligibility issue and get her enrolled in an
Cook added that though the special enrollment period expired at the end of October, those affected by the liquidation of
Left:
Future steps
Though her surgery went well and healing is moving along, Fenolio said doctors found cancer cells in a lymph node, and she will need to have more radiation treatment in the future.
"Every time I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel, something else happens," Fenolio said.
She added that her new insurer,
But she's since received bills that
"A lot of them aren't super expensive, so I'm just kind of paying them as I go," Fenolio said. "It just makes my life a little bit easier to just know that they're paid and not fight it and not hassle with it … because that's one less thing I have to worry about."
Officials with the
They also noted that
In the meantime, Fenolio said she and her longtime partner,
"We're doing OK," Fenolio said. "I just sit around and try to heal."
Peach State Health Plan, Pyx Health Announce Partnership to Combat Social Isolation, Loneliness and Depression in Georgia Youth
Material Agreement – Form 8-K
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News