Action #1 – Sign up! Call/text/Facebook your friends to remind them.
If you live in California: You can sign up for 2019 coverage from Oct. 15, 2018, to Jan. 15, 2019. Individuals with special qualifying life events can enroll at any time of the year. Medi-Cal enrollment is also year-round. Medi-Cal and Covered California use the same application. After you enter your information, you will find out whether you qualify for Medi-Cal or Covered California.
If you live in a different state: The open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act ends Dec. 15 (for most states, not all). Health insurance through the health care law provides preventative services and financial help in cases of accidents and serious illness, according to healthcare.gov. If you are planning to enroll in or change your coverage plan for 2019, you must apply before the deadline. Only people who qualify for a special enrollment period can sign up for insurance after Dec. 15.
Action #2 – If you or someone you know is signing up for Medicare…
The Trump administration has been pushing private plans in emails sent to millions of beneficiaries. These government ads emphasize the positives and downplay the negatives of these services. For example, private plans generally require beneficiaries to use a defined network of health care providers or pay more for care outside the network. By contrast, in traditional Medicare, beneficiaries can go to any doctor who accepts Medicare, as most doctors do.
Medicare’s annual open enrollment period closes on Friday. Administration officials predict that almost 37 percent of the 60 million Medicare beneficiaries will be in Medicare Advantage plans next year, up from 28 percent five years ago.
Reading:
- New insurance guidelines would undermine rules of the Affordable Care Act (Wapo)
- Uninsured kids rose for the first time this decade (khn.org)
- Mental Health care not going to those who need it (NBC)
- Over half of Americans delay or don’t get health care because they can’t afford it – these 3 treatments get put off most (CNBC)
INDIVISIBLE VENTURA 