Open enrollment begins for health care

Open Enrollment is here, and more people than ever qualify for low-cost, quality health insurance. With dozens of insurance plans to choose from on the Healthcare.gov Marketplace, consumers should know that there is free, local help available. Local nonprofit Pisgah Legal Services offers free help for people in Western North Carolina who are interested in signing up for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance. Open Enrollment runs now through Jan. 15, 2024. For coverage to begin on Jan. 1, 2024 you must enroll by Dec. 15. More people qualify for savings The Inflation Reduction Act provides additional financial help for people signing up for Healthcare.gov insurance. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, most consumers save an average of $800 per month thanks to these enhanced savings. The "family glitch" fix that was enacted in 2023 also helps more people qualify for low-cost coverage. Previously, if an employer offered affordable health coverage to an employee but not to the employee's family, none of the family members would be eligible for Marketplace subsidies. This left many families in a difficult position - pay high premiums or leave some family members uninsured. This glitch in the system has been fixed and many of those family members are now eligible for coverage. Free help is available Now in its 11 year of offering free enrollment assistance, Pisgah Legal Services employs a team of trained Navigators who are available to provide unbiased information and help simplify the process of choosing and enrolling in a plan. "Pisgah Legal's Navigators empower thousands of local people to make the best choices for themselves and their families each year," said Pisgah Legal Chief Operations Officer Jaclyn Kiger.

"Navigators are here to help folks understand their options for coverage. There is never any pressure to pick a certain plan." Medicaid expansion In addition to helping people with the Healthcare.gov Marketplace, Pisgah Legal Navigators can also assist people in applying for Medicaid plans and accessing their benefits. More than half a million low-income, uninsured North Carolinians will be eligible for Medicaid when expansion launches on Dec. 1. People whose Medicaid benefits were terminated during the unwinding period that began in April 2023 may be eligible for a Marketplace plan. Pisgah Legal may also be able to help former Medicaid beneficiaries with legal issues. Medicaid beneficiaries experiencing problems with their plans can contact Pisgah Legal's NC Medicaid Ombudsman Program for free help resolving issues. Make an appointment today by visiting www.pisgahlegal.org/health or calling (828) 210-3404. Bilingual Navigators are available to assist in Spanish, and free translation services are available for speakers of other languages. Consumers enrolling in a plan on HealthCare.gov (for Spanish-speakers Cuidadodesalud.gov) are guaranteed to receive comprehensive coverage and cannot be denied coverage based on pre-existing conditions. All plans cover essential benefits, including doctor and hospital visits, prescription drugs, mental health treatment, and maternity care. Pisgah Legal and other enrollment partners of WNC participating organizations give local people free, unbiased health insurance information and enrollment assistance in the NC Health Insurance Marketplace. These organizations include: Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Mountain Projects, Inc., Western Carolina Medical Society, and Pisgah Legal Services. Pisgah Legal Services is a member of the North Carolina Navigator Consortium.