Today, community and health care organizations across Nebraska announced the kickoff of a health coverage enrollment campaign to bring a strong finish to an open enrollment period that already has been a resounding success.
Enroll Nebraska’s “2016 in 2016” is an effort by a statewide network of health coverage navigators and enrollment assisters to enroll over 2,000 Nebraskans in health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace by the end of the open enrollment period on January 31. The assisters of Enroll Nebraska offer free, personal, and local help for Nebraskans to explore their health coverage options and find insurance that meets their family’s needs and fits their budget.
In late December, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that nearly 78,000 Nebraskans had enrolled in coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, a total that already had surpassed the 74,000 Nebraskans who signed up for coverage during the 2014-15 enrollment period.
To help reach the goal of helping 2,016 Nebraskans enroll or renew in coverage by January 31, organizations are planning extended hours, special events to promote enrollment assistance, or increased outreach efforts to spread the word about the free help that is available for Nebraskans to look at different insurance plans. The campaign also will track how many “assists” the enrollment assisters give as well by tallying the number of people organizations help by answering questions, help start an application, or help describe choices from the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Nebraskans can get assistance to understand health coverage options at local Community Action Partnerships, local public health departments, or members of the Health Center Association of Nebraska. See this map to find free local help or be directed to an assister by the United Way of the Midlands’ free 2-1-1 service. People can get help from an Assister over the phone by calling, toll-free 1-800-318-2596.