October 29, 2021
(Austin) –Central Health is urging residents to take advantage of free local assistance to help them enroll in the health insurance they deserve. Beginning Monday, Nov.1, the Health Insurance Marketplace will begin to accept applications to enroll in health insurance for 2022. This year, the open enrollment period has been extended through Jan. 15, 2022. Do not delay – schedule your appointment today.
As it does annually, Central Health provides dedicated funding to ensure Travis County residents are aware of all the benefits available through the Health Insurance Marketplace and have access to free application assistance. United Way’s 2-1-1 Center provides callers with information and referrals for local assistance. Central Health-funded CommUnityCare Health Centers provide free application assistance and help residents review and select the health plan that best meets their individual healthcare needs. Sendero Health Plans, Central Health’s nonprofit health insurance company, is proud to be the only local, community-based insurance option available to Central Texans offered through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Additionally, Foundation Communities– Central Texas’ largest Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Navigator organization is available during the Open Enrollment period to assist community members with unbiased and free assistance in enrolling in ACA Marketplace plans. They have helped over 45,000 people enroll in Marketplace plans since 2014.
Due to the American Rescue Plan, additional savings on insurance premiums are available and more people qualify for financial assistance than ever before.
“Everyone deserves access to quality care that comes with having health coverage,” Central Health President & CEO Mike Geeslin said. “Because of COVID-19 some people found it more challenging to manage chronic health conditions and stay on top of their general health screenings and immunizations – but lack of health insurance should never prevent someone from seeing a doctor. Now is the time to start thinking about enrolling in an insurance plan that’s right for you and your family.”
Based on Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation’s (ASPE) enrollment data from late 2020 and early 2021, approximately 31 million Americans are enrolled in health coverage, the highest total on record. Despite this fact, Texas has the highest rate of people living without health insurance in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2020, Families USA revealed an estimated 659,000 Texans have lost their healthcare coverage due to the pandemic.
“We encourage residents to schedule a “Get Ready” appointment now, so there is plenty of time to review all of their health plan options for 2022, before the Jan. 15 deadline,” Foundation Communities’ Director of Health Initiatives Aaron DeLaO said. “Securing health insurance for the next year is the first step in a person’s journey to prioritizing their health and their family’s health. Plus, enhanced tax credits are still available in 2022 so people can pay less each month for coverage. Our goal is to make enrolling in health insurance simple.”
Health plans – like Sendero’s Idealcare offered on the Health Insurance Marketplace – must cover 10 essential health benefits, ranging from outpatient care to hospitalization to prescription drugs. Additionally, Marketplace plans cover treatment for pre-existing medical conditions and cannot terminate coverage due to a change in health status, including diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19.
The 2022 Open Enrollment Period for the Health Insurance Marketplace runs from Monday, Nov. 1, 2021 through Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022. Foundation Communities is currently scheduling “Get Ready” appointments. For more information on open enrollment or to schedule an appointment, visit Foundation Communities, or call (512) 381-4520.