JABA, Attorney General Herring urge unemployed Virginians to weigh health insurance options

Last week, Randy Rodgers, JABA's Manager of Insurance Counseling, urged people who've lost their jobs due to the pandemic to visit HealthCare.gov for affordable health insurance options. Individuals who lose their job-based coverage qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) on HealthCare.gov.

Now Attorney General Mark Herring is encouraging people to do the same.

“I am urging any Virginian who has lost their job to check HealthCare.Gov and see if they are eligible for a special enrollment period," said AG Herring. "While it is always important to have healthcare coverage, it is even more critical during a public health crisis for your own health and safety, and for the health and safety of your families and communities.” Read more

Of course, the health insurance landscape can be confusing, but free, local help is available from JABA. Call JABA Insurance Counseling at 434-817-5248 to schedule a phone appointment.

Losing your health insurance? JABA reminds consumers that affordable health coverage is still available

Enroll in comprehensive, affordable coverage on HealthCare.gov before time runs out!

Charlottesville, Virginia – With unprecedented unemployment during the public health and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic -- including 493,501 people filing new unemployment claims in Virginia between mid-March and April 18th -- many people have lost their job-based health insurance. HealthCare.gov can help these people secure comprehensive and affordable coverage, but they must act quickly.

Individuals who lose their job-based coverage qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) on HealthCare.gov. This opens up a 60-day window to enroll in coverage, often with financial assistance that reduces monthly costs. If someone misses their chance to enroll, they may be unable to enroll in coverage on HealthCare.gov until November 1, 2020, for coverage beginning in 2021.

“As unemployment numbers in recent weeks dwarf the worst weeks of the Great Recession, millions of Americans are losing the job-based insurance they rely upon to get access to quality, affordable care,” said Randy Rodgers, JABA's Manager of Insurance Counseling. “HealthCare.gov has comprehensive and affordable coverage that these workers can enroll in, but they must act quickly.”

Employees may be given the option to extend their job-based coverage by enrolling in COBRA, but employers often don’t contribute to the cost of the plan so the individual pays full price. This can make COBRA cost-prohibitive, with an average monthly premium of about $640 for a single individual, and $1,840 a month for a family of four for a typical employer plan. HealthCare.gov plans are likely to be significantly more affordable due to the financial assistance available, which 84 percent of Virginia’s marketplace enrollees qualify for. After financial assistance, the average monthly premium on HealthCare.gov is $94 in Virginia.

Individuals who didn’t have insurance through their employer and are currently uninsured may still be able to enroll in coverage if they experience a life event that qualifies them for an SEP, such as getting married or having a baby. People can go to www.HealthCare.gov/screener to find out if they might qualify for an SEP. By visiting HealthCare.gov, people who’ve lost their jobs or seen their incomes drop can also learn whether they qualify for free or low-cost comprehensive coverage through Medicaid.

Consumers enrolling in a plan on HealthCare.gov are guaranteed to receive comprehensive coverage, with no pre-existing condition exclusions or markups. HealthCare.gov plans are required to cover essential health benefits (such as prescription drugs, lab services, hospitalization). Testing and treatment of COVID-19 are considered essential health benefits and are covered by all HealthCare.gov plans, and testing is covered with no cost sharing.

Consumers should avoid insurance plans offered outside of HealthCare.gov that seem too good to be true. Unfortunately, a bevy of “junk insurance” products are available due to loosened regulations, and they pose huge financial risks to consumers. These products aren’t required to comply with ACA regulations, which means they can deny coverage to consumers with pre-existing conditions, charge consumers more based on their gender, reject claims altogether for health care services related to a pre-existing condition, and impose annual coverage limits. Many won’t cover the COVID-19-related services people need.

The health insurance landscape can be confusing, but free, local help is available. You can find someone to help you navigate the enrollment process by calling JABA’s Insurance Counseling at 434-817-5248 or visiting Healthcare.gov.

Contact: Randy Rodgers
(434) 817-5239
rrodgers@jabacares.org

JABA Insurance Counseling: Lost your job? Lost your health insurance? Here are some affordable healthcare options

Remember, JABA Insurance Counselors are still available via phone or email to help you find affordable health insurance options if you've been laid off, furloughed, or have had a reduction in income. Call 434.817.5248 or email insurance@jabacares.org.

Lost Job-Based Health Insurance:

> Likely eligible to enroll in either the ACA Marketplace or Medicaid, including Expanded Medicaid, Virginia’s Health Coverage for Adults, effective 1/1/19..

> Family size & Annual gross income
determine which option applies and how much financial help you get.

> You have just 60 days to apply for ACA Marketplace insurance after employee insurance ends. You can apply anytime for Medicaid.

> Cheaper than COBRA for most families.

> Neither the ACA Marketplace nor Medicaid can reject you or charge you more if you have a pre-
existing health condition.

Lost Job, but had no health insurance:

> May be eligible for Medicaid, including Virginia’s new Medicaid Health Coverage for Adults.

> Depends on family size and monthly gross income.

Have ACA Insurance but Income Has Dropped Sharply:

> Update your Marketplace account; you probably qualify for significantly more financial help or, possibly, for Medicaid.

Learn more...

Health Caring: JABA Program Sees 42% Increase in Service

During the 2019 Medicare Open Enrollment period, JABA’s Insurance Counseling Department help 3,302 people figure out what was the best 2020 Medicare Part D plan or Medicare Advantage plan for them. This was a 42% increase from last year.

Randy Rodgers, JABA’s Manager of Community Services, cites three main reasons for the increase.

“More people are volunteering in the program, which gives us more capacity,” he says. “Plus, the quality of the counseling over the last few years has developed a reputation in the community. Finally, because of generous donors, we have been able to spend more on advertising and getting the word out.”

What makes the JABA program unique, says Rodgers, is the personalized attention people feel they are getting. “What JABA offers is well trained volunteer who sits down in person with a client and walks them through a complicated process,” he says. “All for free.”

Even without continued advertising, Rodgers estimates that 750 more people could be seeking help during next year’s Open Enrollment period. But he says JABA is prepared.

“The facilities we have at the moment will handle that increase,” he says. “We had a very big class of new counselors this year.  I think we will only need to increase the number of counselors by twenty-five to meet the increase this coming year.”

Key 2019 facts:

• 
  55% of clients needed to change plans for 2020. By doing this, they saved, on average, $1,073. The total amount we helped people save was $1,773,335.

• 
  This year we opened a second office to see more clients. During OE, 1,498 people were helped at the new office on Allied Street in Charlottesville.

• 
  We increased the number of times we sent the Mobile Unit out to 35 days. We were able to help 585 people at the various Mobile Unit sites in mostly rural areas.

• 
  We greatly increased the number of volunteers helping this year. (Counselors, Admins, and Greeters)

• 
  The biggest obstacle we faced was the introduction of a brand new Medicare website just weeks before OE. It was impossible to train our volunteer counselors properly before the beginning of OE. We had to learn on the fly. Plus, the new website had many problems and glitches.

Need help with your Medicare insurance plan?

Call 434.817.5248 or email insurance@jabacares.org

Would you like to be a Insurance Counseling program volunteer?

Go here to learn more. Or call 434.817.5226

Media Contact:

Randy Rodgers
JABA Manager of Community Services
434.817.5239
rrodgers@jabacares.org

New to Medicare? Free JABA Classes Available