It is crucial to take advantage of open enrollment
Improving the health and wellness of individuals and communities involves understanding and addressing numerous conditions in our environment that can affect one’s health.
These non-medical factors, including housing, transportation and access to healthy foods, account for 70-80% of a person’s health. Amid this complexity, we all have an opportunity to take one imperative step to improve our health – purchase health insurance. Now is the time to seek out the right insurance for you and your family.
Open Enrollment is here and the marketplaces are open for business
People who do not receive health insurance through an employer or the government can choose an insurance policy from the individual and small group insurance marketplace in their state. Until Dec.15, Tennesseans who are without health coverage for next year can visit Healthcare.gov to find a plan that best fits their needs.
Access to health care coverage is associated with many benefits including receiving timely preventive care services, better management of chronic health conditions, greater workforce participation and longer life expectancy. Mortality rates, generally, are 25% higher among people without insurance.
Higher insurance rates also lead to lower personal and overall costs because having ready access to care prevents the exacerbation of conditions that lead to higher costs in the long run. For several reasons, our nation is experiencing an increase in the number of people without health insurance. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of uninsured Americans has risen for the first time in a decade, from 7.9% in 2017 to 8.5% in 2018. Additionally, the number of individuals during the Open Enrollment period who selected or were automatically re-enrolled in an Exchange plan in 50 states and the District of Columbia decreased in 2019 from the year prior.
The Census Bureau estimates that more than 675,000 Tennesseans have no insurance coverage. This represents about 46,000 additional uninsured Tennesseans than the year prior, which is one of the largest increases of uninsured populations by state in the nation. What this means is that one in ten of our neighbors are living without healthcare coverage.
Making health plan decisions
Financial help in the form of subsidies that lower your monthly bill and reductions in out-of-pocket costs like copayments and deductibles is available for those who qualify. Consumers should also take advantage of the in-person help and enrollment events offered in their communities. While Congress has removed the tax penalty for being uninsured, the benefits of insurance to one’s health is clear. It is a smart investment in yourself, your family and your health that is worth making.
At Ascension Saint Thomas, we are committed to delivering on our Mission to provide compassionate, personalized care to all, and to achieve 100% access and coverage in the communities we serve. Caregivers at our sites of care in Tennessee and across the country want to see more people than ever before receive the care they need, with fewer struggling to pay for it.
If you are without health insurance or receive insurance from the individual or small group marketplace, it’s important to visit Healthcare.gov to find the insurance that is right for you. If you need health insurance, there are resources available to help you access much needed resources. Call 844-644-5443 or set up your own appointment at www.insure-tennessee.org. There is no better time than now to ensure you and your family get insured.
Nancy Anness is Chief Advocacy Officer for Saint Thomas Health