Sign up for health insurance before Jan. 16
Open enrollment period ends this weekend
BeWellnm, New Mexico’s official health insurance exchange, advised the public in a press release that the 2023 open enrollment period, in which many New Mexicans must decide whether to choose a new or different health insurance plan, will close on Sunday (Jan. 15).
Visit bewellnm.com to gauge affordable health insurance plans on offer through the state’s health insurance exchange. People who enroll at beWellnm.com by 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 15 will have the opportunity to receive lowcost or no-cost health insurance beginning Feb. 1.
“With [days] left in the Open Enrollment Period for Plan Year 2023, we encourage all New Mexicans without health insurance to enroll at beWellnm.com,” said Bruce Gilbert, CEO for beWellnm. “With new state assistance available, health insurance may be more affordable than ever. Some people can even find nocost insurance options. So shop, compare and enroll in coverage at beWellnm.com by January 15, 2023. Certified enrollment counselors or brokers are also available to help with enrollment at no charge.”
Insurance brokers like Joseph Quintana with State Farm Insurance in Taos, for example, help New Mexicans navigate the entire process.
“We’re as busy as ever,” Quintana said. “We’re helping lots of people.”
Monthly premiums for Affordable Care Act insurance plans in New Mexico have decreased since Obamacare first became law, particularly since the state opted to operate its own health insurance exchange in 2021. With an income of around $40,000, for example, and with the subsidies offered by the federal government, a single man in his 40s can purchase a top tier plan with minimal out-of-pocket expenses and low co-pays for between $105 and $125 per-month.
“This year New Mexicans can receive lower monthly payments, co-pays, and deductibles due to the state’s Health Care Affordability Fund,” a spokesperson from beWellnm.com said in the release. “Also, the new Turquoise Plan, exclusive to beWellnm, provides New Mexicans with maximum financial protection by reducing out-of- pocket costs, while limiting the maximum amount they could owe during the 2023 plan year.”
BeWellnm offers dozens of plan options across multiple carriers, including dental insurance.
All health plans cover the 10 essential benefits such as doctor visits, hospital stays, maternity care, emergency room care, prescriptions, and more. Federal law and regulations provide protections against preexisting condition exclusions in health insurance coverage. Health plans must permit New Mexicans to enroll regardless of health status, age, gender or other factors that may predict the use of health services.
The beWellnm team of certified enrollment counselors, agents and brokers are free. They are always available to help those in need to review and explain their health insurance options through telephone assistance or virtual appointments at (833) 862-3935, or online by visiting beWellnm.com.