Ambetter Health Insurance Expands into New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Nov. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ambetter Health Insurance is expanding its affordable health insurance offerings to New Mexico. When open enrollment begins on November 1, 2020, residents may select Ambetter from Western Sky Community Care for healthcare coverage statewide on the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, including in cities such as Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Roswell, and Santa Fe.

"We're proud to expand Ambetter's affordable and dependable healthcare coverage options to New Mexico residents, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic persist," said Tony Hernandez, President and CEO, Western Sky. "By bringing Ambetter coverage to these news areas, we're providing more healthcare coverage options for people to get the care they need with a plan that fits their lifestyle and budget."

Ambetter from Western Sky Community Care offers increased value, convenient services, and benefits that help make health insurance fit within people's lives. For those impacted by job loss during the pandemic, Ambetter from Western Sky Community Care provides an alternative that is often more affordable than COBRA, the health insurance program that allows people to continue their employer-provided coverage. While COBRA maintains a person's existing coverage, they will pay 100%of the cost plus an additional 2% in administrative costs, and subsidies are not available to reduce costs. COBRA will also eventually expire, requiring a person to seek new coverage.

Online Enrollment Assistance
Through the Ambetter from Western Sky Community Care website, people can browse and compare coverage options, determine their eligibility for financial subsidies, and directly enroll in coverage – all from one place. The platform is built for mobile access as well, so people can enroll using their smartphones. If a person is unable to complete enrollment all at once, the system will save their progress and provide reminders to finish enrollment at their convenience.

Access to Telehealth
Ambetter Telehealth provides convenient, 24-hour access to in-network Ambetter healthcare providers for non-emergency health issues. With a $0 copay*, members can get medical advice, a diagnosis, or a prescription via phone or video, without having to leave their homes. The service also allows them to upload images that can support their doctor consultation, and a summary of the visit can be shared with their primary care provider.

Affordable and Reliable Coverage
Ambetter from Western Sky Community Care provides coverage for all of the essential health benefits, including preventive and wellness services, maternity and newborn care, pediatric services, mental health, hospitalizations, prescription drug coverage, and more. Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Ambetter from Western Sky Community Care also covers the cost of COVID-19 tests and the associated physician's visit when medically appropriate. 

Western Sky Community Care has been serving New Mexico since 2019 and currently serves more than 73,000 across its Medicaid plan. Below is the full list of counties in which Ambetter from Western Sky Community Care will be offered:

• Bernalillo
• Catron
• Chaves
• Cibola
• Colfax
• Curry
• DeBaca
• Dona Ana
• Eddy
• Grant
• Guadalupe
• Harding
• Hidalgo
• Lea
• Lincoln
• Los Alamos
• Luna
• McKinley
• Mora
• Otero
• Quay
• Rio Arriba
• Roosevelt
• San Juan
• San Miguel
• Sandoval
• Santa Fe
• Sierra
• Socorro
• Taos
• Torrance
• Union
• Valencia

New Mexico residents interested in learning more about Ambetter from Western Sky Community Care or enrolling in a health plan during the open enrollment period may visit www.ambetter.westernskycommunitycare.com.

*$0 copays are for in-network medical care. Ambetter does not provide medical care. Medical care is provided by individual providers. $0 Telehealth copay does not apply to plans with HSA until the deductible is met. Click here for more information.

About Ambetter from Western Sky Community Care
Established to deliver quality healthcare in the state of New Mexico through local, regional and community-based resources, Ambetter from Western Sky Community Care is a Managed Care Organization and subsidiary of Centene Corporation. Ambetter from Western Sky Community Care exists to improve the health of its beneficiaries through focused, compassionate and coordinated care. Their approach is based on the core belief that quality healthcare is best delivered locally. For more information, visit ambetter.westernskycommunitycare.com.

SOURCE Western Sky Community Care