Cohen: Memphians Should Review HealthCare.gov Plan Options to Ensure They Don’t Miss Out on Savings
[MEMPHIS, TN] – With just days before the open enrollment period for health insurance through the HealthCare.gov Marketplace opens, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today reminded Memphians not to miss out on potential savings and additional insurance options available to them this year. While those who enrolled in plans through President Obama’s Affordable Care Act Marketplace last year do not need to re-enroll to maintain coverage for 2015, all citizens whether or not they have previously enrolled are strongly encouraged to visit the newly-redeveloped, more stable, and easier-to-use HealthCare.gov website to ensure they receive the full tax credit to which they are entitled and to review their options as cheaper insurance plans may be available this year.
“The Affordable Care Act is already working for thousands of Ninth District families, but everyone should visit HealthCare.gov to make sure they are enrolled in the plan that keeps the most money in their pockets and to ensure they receive their full tax credit in 2015,” said Congressman Cohen. “Thanks to President Obama’s landmark healthcare reform law, our uninsured rate has plummeted by 10%, almost 15,000 Memphians who did not have insurance coverage before health care reform now do, more than 200,000 now have insurance that covers preventive care, and no one can be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition anymore.”
A new one-page guide to navigating and enrolling through the HealthCare.gov marketplace is available here. Memphis area citizens can visit this page to determine if they qualify for lower insurance costs in the coming year and can sign up to receive email updates or text messages regarding plan availability, pricing, and enrollment deadlines here. Consumers are also now able to view health insurance plans available in their area without registering, logging in, or identifying themselves.
An estimated 70% of first-time applicants—those with uncomplicated household scenarios—will be able to use a simpler, 3-page form to enroll in coverage for the coming year, down from 21 pages required to enroll last year. Those with more complicated household and tax scenarios will still be able to use the traditional Marketplace application process, which has been improved and no longer requires users to restart the entire application to fix a single mistake.
Congressman Cohen also today renewed his call for Governor Bill Haslam to expand Tennessee’s Medicaid system, TennCare, as the Affordable Care Act allows and provide health care benefits to low-income citizens currently caught in a politically-caused coverage gap. Several times this year, the Congressman has offered to help Governor Haslam extend health coverage to those who cannot afford it and are unable to take advantage of important protections of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) because of the state’s inaction.
“By not expanding Medicaid, Governors around the country—and at home in Tennessee—are conveying a message that they have little concern for the neediest, sickest, and most desperate of their constituents,” said Congressman Cohen. “While this may not be Governor Haslam’s intention, the reality of the situation is that—until he does something—234,000 of our state’s most needy are going or will go without the health coverage that they need and that President Obama’s health care reform law says they should have. Studies have even shown that thousands of Americans each year will die avoidable deaths because of lack of access to Medicaid. That is unacceptable.”