Health insurance road show stops in Las Cruces

Oct. 12--LAS CRUCES -- Officials from the Office of Superintendent of Insurance and beWellnm, the state's health insurance exchange created under the federal Affordable Care Act, stopped in Las Cruces on Wednesday as part of a month-long informational health insurance road show ahead of the 2018 open enrollment period that runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15.

The afternoon presentation at the Doña Ana Community College campus on Espina Street featured speakers from OSI, beWellnm and representatives from the four participating health insurance carriers: Blue Cross Blue Shield, Christus Health Plan, Molina and New Mexico Health Connections.

"What the road show does is it provides the opportunity for the community, as well as insurance agents and brokers, to come and learn about and educate themselves about what's going on under the exchange programs for the state of New Mexico," Maureen Manring, director of communication and outreach for beWellnm, said.

"Most important this year is to remind (people) that open enrollment starts Nov. 1 through Dec. 15," Manring added. "So we have a 45-day open enrollment period this year, which is a change from previous open enrollments."

In past years, the enrollment period had been extended through January. But this year, it will be shortened to about six weeks.

After the Dec. 15 deadline, individual health insurance consumers will not be able to sign up for health coverage for next year, unless they meet qualifications for a special enrollment due to a life change, Manring said.

She recommended that consumers should "reach out to a certified expert" to assist in the enrollment process. "Seek out an expert who understands the enrollment process, understands the carriers, understands the networks, the providers and pharmacies that you have," she said.

Manring said the beWellnm website, http://bewellnm.com/, will connect consumers to such resources.

During Wednesday's presentation, a woman asked how the uncertainty surrounding the ACA, given GOP efforts in Congress to repeal and replace it, would impact coverage next year.

"What we're telling people is you're locked in for 2018," said Paige Duhamel, health care policy manager for the Office of Superintendent of Insurance. "They're not going to mess with 2018."

According to Duhamel, New Mexico had an uninsured rate of 29 percent among people 19 to 64 years old in 2012, ranking the second-worst in the nation. But as of last year, the state's uninsured rate dropped by about half to 16 percent among people 19 to 64 years old, she said.

"It's really helped contribute to our state in the uninsured population," Manring said.

Next week, the road tours heads to Hobbs, Roswell and Clovis. Online webinars also have been scheduled for Oct. 24 and Oct. 26. To RSVP, visit http://osi.state.nm.us/Forms/rsvp.aspx.

For more information on the upcoming open enrollment period or to see a full schedule of road show events and to RSVP, visit http://bewellnm.com/ or call 1-833-ToBeWell.

Carlos Andres López can be reached 575-541-5453, carlopez@lcsun-news.com or @carlopez_los on Twitter.on Twitter.

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