Need medical insurance? Local agencies can help with special ACA enrollment period

A special enrollment period begins Monday for people who may need to sign up for healthcare through an Affordable Care Act plan. Several local agencies are offering free assistance to consumers needing to sign up for a plan.

In most years, people looking to sign up for healthcare through an Affordable Care Act plan, also known as the ACA or Obamacare, must either enroll during the traditional open enrollment period from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15 for coverage beginning Jan. 1 or if they have a "qualifying" life event, such as having a baby, getting married or losing health coverage.

But an executive order signed by President Joe Biden in late January created a new "special enrollment period" from Feb. 15 through May 15.

More: Biden signs executive action to reopen Obamacare enrollment amid COVID-19, end gag rule

This gives a new coverage opportunity to Americans who lost their jobs and employer-based insurance during the pandemic. The annual open enrollment for the plans ended in December in most states. During this special enrollment period, no documentation is needed to qualify to enroll.

Information about the special enrollment period is scare. No information appears about the special enrollment period on the government's main website for enrollment, healthcare.gov

Three Akron-area agencies, with offices in Summit, Portage and Stark counties, are offering free assistance through their certified counselors.

AxessPointe Community Health Centers is offering individual consultations at three locations by appointment only and phone appointments with a Certified Application Counselor. Counselors are available at AxessPointe's Akron location on South Arlington Street, in Barberton and at its Kent location. Call 888-975-9188 to arrange an appointment. Asian Services in Action Inc.’s Akron office at 330-535-3263 is offering appointments. In Canton, call Lifecare Family Health and Dental Center at 330-454-2000, Ext. 242 or 231. Appointments can either be over the phone or in-person.

Beacon Journal staff reporter Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or [email protected]. Follow her @blinfisherABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/BettyLinFisherABJ To see her most recent stories and columns, go to www.tinyurl.com/bettylinfisher

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Need medical insurance? Local agencies can help with special ACA enrollment period

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