Health insurance open enrollment ends Dec. 15

Having health insurance is important, and low- or no-cost plans are available, but the open enrollment period ends Dec. 15, said Nancy Kelley, program director with Cover Missouri, a coalition whose vision is to reduce the number of uninsured in Missouri.

Open enrollment for the health insurance marketplace ends Dec. 15, but anyone who needs health insurance coverage for 2019 still has time to sign up, Kelley said.

�We really want people to understand they need to go to healthcare.gov, and can open an account by entering just a little bit of information about their family,� such as how many family members there are and what the family�s annual income is.

�Most importantly, people can find financial help that would be available,� Kelley said.

And, she said, while people can sign up for a plan themselves, if anyone is uncertain or just wants help, free assistance is available: An in-person assister can be found online at www.findlocalhelp.covermissouri.org or by calling the toll-free call center at (800) 466-3213.

Information and resources are also available at www.covermissouri.org, Kelley said, or assisters can help if a person doesn�t have internet access.

That is a challenge for a lot of people, Kelley said, since all registration is handled online.

Regardless, Kelley said, consumers should know some key facts about health plans.

�There are quality, affordable insurance options that fit consumers� individual health needs,� Kelley said, adding that in 2017, 88 percent of people covered through the Missouri Marketplace received tax credits, which lowered their monthly premiums, or payments.

And in 2019, some Missourians will qualify for bronze- or silver-level plans with a $0 monthly premium, Kelley added.

If people want to go outside the marketplace to look at plans that might appear on the surface to be more affordable, Kelley said it�s very important to review those plans� coverage.

�We just want to be sure people are getting the coverage they think they are getting,� Kelley said.

Plans outside the marketplace, known as alternative or short term plans, sometimes have gaps in coverage, such as a lack of coverage for pre-existing conditions or hospital stays.

�Read all the details in the statement of benefits� before signing up, Kelley said. �We want people to be informed.�

Kelley said, too, people may have heard there will be no penalty next year for being uninsured, �however, we always want to talk about those what-if situations. We never want to be gloom and doom, but if you come up with a diagnosis you didn�t know you had, or have an accident � we know medical bills can be such a financial burden.�

In addition, she said, preventive measures such as flu shots, colonoscopies or mammograms are free under insurance plans.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630