Open Enrollment for 2019 Plans is Here!

Keep yourself healthy through 2019 by enrolling in insurance starting November 1st. Open enrollment starts November 1 and ends December 15, 2018. Staff at Coast Community Health Center can help individuals and families check eligibility and apply for private 2019 Health Insurance Marketplace policies or Oregon Health Plan. Coverage starts January 1 for those who sign up during open enrollment.

The health center’s enrollment assisters are certified and ready to offer free, confidential help choosing plans available through the marketplace. Insurance enrollment sessions are available by appointment at Coast Community Health Center offices in Bandon and Port Orford. Or, visit a drop-in session at a community location in Bandon, Port Orford, and Gold Beach. Visit coastcommunityhealth.org for dates and locations, or call 541-347-2529 in Bandon, 541-332-1114 in Port Orford for more information.

It’s financially worthwhile to check options for the marketplace and OHP plans. Premium price increases for 2019 are expected to be much lower than previous years, and some states will even see price decreases. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, recently announced a national average drop of 1.5 percent in premiums across states using HealthCare.Gov.

Financial assistance is still available for low and middle-income consumers to help lower the cost of their plan. In fact, more than 8 out of 10 consumers last year qualified for a tax credit according to CMS. Because there are more insurers participating in the Marketplace than any year since 2015, consumers have even more choices and competitive pricing available than any previous year!

In addition to providing enrollment assistance with Marketplace plans, Coast Community Health Center’s certified partners help families check edibility for the Oregon Health Plan, the state’s Medicaid program. Thanks to Oregon’ expanded Medicaid, even more, individuals have access to OHP, and almost all youth under 18 qualify! Families are encouraged to check eligibility for the children in their households, even if they’re already covered by another insurance plan.

Those who qualify for OHP can enroll at any time, but policies must be renewed annually. Enrollment in 2019 private or Marketplace plans closes December 15. For assistance with insurance questions, residents of Coos County are encouraged to call 5541-347-2529 or 541-332-114 for Curry County. Those with secure internet access can learn more about OHP and Federal Marketplace plans online at healthcare.oregon.gov.

Coast Community Health Center staff work with patients and community members to help them stay healthy with access to more affordable health care. Enrollment assistance is a free community service supported by grant funds from the Oregon Health Authority.