Even as the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, has been at the center of the government shutdown, the Health Insurance Exchanges nevertheless came online Oct. 1, drawing thousands of Americans who are shopping for affordable insurance options.
A number of local and national agencies are making themselves available to help consumers navigate the marketplace and make the choice that is best for consumers and their households.
State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, will help residents sign up for the new health insurance exchanges at an information session on Oct. 17 from 6-8 p.m. at the 19th District Police Station Community Room, 850 W. Addison St. For more information, contact 773-296-4141 or email sara@staterepsara.com . "With the skyrocketing costs of health care, insurance has become more necessary than ever," Feigenholtz said in a statement Oct. 9. "That is why it is important for the uninsured to take advantage of this new health insurance option and enroll in the new health insurance exchange. I encourage anyone who has individual concerns or needs assistance enrolling to come by and learn more about how the Affordable Care Act can help them."AIDS Foundation of Chicago ( AFC ) also launched an initiative Oct. 1 in order to educate community members about their options and help them enroll. AFC representatives will be on hand on hand at various locations throughout the community, including organizational meetings, clinics and bathhouses. People interested in utilizing the enrollment counselors should phone 312-784-9060; someone will be able to direct them to a convenient enrollment event nearby. Because the counselors will be fairly mobile, AFC won't be able to maintain a calendar of their whereabouts online.
Meanwhile, Out2Enroll, a coordinated national effort to educate the LGBT community about Affordable Care Act and direct the community to enrollment resources, celebrated National Coming Out Day Oct. 11 by releasing a video message featuring Jason Collins, the first active player in one of four major U.S. men's professional sports leagues to come out as gay. Out2Enroll also launched new online resources to provide millions of LGBT people with easy to understand information about health insurance and new options under the Affordable Care Act, according to an Oct. 11 statement.
In the video, Collins said, "With these new protections, insurance companies can't treat you differently because you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Our health is important and I'm happy to be part of the effort to make sure we all get covered."
The Out2Enroll initiative is based on a new study revealing that one in three lower income LGBT adults is uninsured, and that the majority of these individuals are not aware of the new coverage options that will be available. This research also shows that targeted assistance from consumer assistance entities familiar with LGBT community concerns will be crucial to the success of efforts to enroll uninsured LGBT individuals in coverage.
"Contrary to popular stereotypes, many LGBT people are struggling with a lack of insurance and difficulty accessing health care," said Kellan Baker at the Center for American Progress, which commissioned the study. "The new coverage options available under the Affordable Care Act will be critical to ensuring that LGBT people can get the care they need, when they need it."
For more information, and to see the video, go to www.out2enroll.org .
