MEDIA ADVISORY

With Thousands in WV Looking for Health Coverage After Job Loss, ACA Navigators/Health Care Advocates to Address 2021 Marketplace Open Enrollment

Enrollment in ACA Marketplace Plans for 2021 Begins on November 1st

Who:

First Choice Services – WV Navigator Program

West Virginians for Affordable Health Care

West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy

A West Virginia resident who uses the ACA as their health insurance

What:

A press conference detailing what people can expect as they look for health insurance options in the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace. Speakers will focus on explaining what options are available to West Virginians when looking for healthcare options, how to locate and access free enrollment assistance across the state, and how changes and challenges to the ACA could change how West Virginians can access health care.

Where:

1 Hillcrest Drive East Charleston, WV 25311

To join, contact jsmith@FirstChoiceServices.org to get meeting info

When:

Friday, October 30, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Why: Open Enrollment for health insurance through the ACA Marketplace begins on November 1, 2020 and will run until December 15, 2020. West Virginia has seen record numbers of people that have lost employment and employer sponsored health insurance throughout 2020. While thousands rely on the ACA Marketplace to sign up for their health insurance each year, advocates are trying to educate those that are not used to shopping for health coverage about the Marketplace’s annual Open Enrollment period. Free enrollment assistance is available to WV residents. Additionally, political turmoil and news about the upcoming Supreme Court case may confuse or deter some residents from signing up due to fear that it may go away.

The purpose of this press conference is to provide the facts about ACA Marketplace plans, ways in which individuals can enroll, and encourage West Virginians looking for new coverage options to sign up before the Open Enrollment period ends.

About First Choice Services

First Choice Services is a non-profit organization that operates a number of WV’s social service helplines, including WV Navigator. WV Navigator is a grant funded program that provides free health coverage enrollment assistance to uninsured West Virginians. The program has certified healthcare navigators that can help consumers enroll in qualified health plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace or, if eligible, WV Medicaid. The program is funded by a grant from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a division of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

About West Virginians for Affordable Health Care

West Virginians for Affordable Health Care is a tax-exempt, non-profit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care for all West Virginians. Their mission is to bring a consumer voice to public policy so that every West Virginian has quality, affordable health care and the opportunity to lead an informed, healthy and productive life.

About West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy

The West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy is a policy research organization that is nonpartisan, nonprofit, and statewide. The Center’s research and analysis is designed to support informed public dialogue and policy in West Virginia. The Center consults and collaborates with other organizations to ensure that its analyses are relevant and timely and strives to be a knowledgeable and respected source of credible information on public budget and fiscal issues for policymakers, advocates, media, and the public. The Center participates in a national network of similar organizations that already exist in over half the states as part of the State Priorities Partnership, sponsored by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and the Economic Analysis and Research Network, an initiative of the Economic Policy Institute.

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