Missouri Health Insurance Marketplace Opens Nov. 15 for Enrollment
Missourians Can Find Affordable Options for Quality Health Insurance and In-Person Help through Cover Missouri Coalition
ST. LOUIS, Nov. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Missouri Health Insurance Marketplace opens for enrollment in one day, providing uninsured Missourians with access to quality, affordable health coverage options. As consumers explore their 2015 health plan choices, the Cover Missouri Coalition is hard at work statewide to ensure they have accurate information about their options and access to free in-person help.
As part of this effort, Cover Missouri is hosting several launch week education and enrollment events throughout Missouri where consumers can learn more about using the Marketplace, get in-person help enrolling, and learn about cost-sharing reductions and tax credits that can lower their health insurance costs.
"The second open enrollment period for the Missouri Marketplace represents an important milestone in providing uninsured Missourians with access to affordable, quality coverage," said Nancy Kelley, Expanding Coverage Program Director, Missouri Foundation for Health. "Last year, more than 152,000 Missourians enrolled in Marketplace health plans with 85 percent receiving financial assistance. We hope that through our statewide education and enrollment efforts that we can help even more Missourians learn about their options and get covered in 2015."
All plans offered in the Missouri Marketplace, regardless of plan level, will offer the same protections to consumers and will cover the same set of essential health benefits, including doctor visits, hospital care and prescription medicines, among others. In addition, insurance companies cannot refuse coverage based on pre-existing conditions, or place a limit on how much consumers will pay for essential health benefits each year or over a person's lifetime. Consumers should purchase health insurance plans by December 15, 2014 for coverage to start by January 1, 2015.
Education and enrollment events hosted by Cover Missouri members surrounding the launch of open enrollment include:
- Bowl to Enroll, Brunswick Zone XL, 8070 Veterans Memorial Pkwy, St. Peters (November 15, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
- Rock Enroll, Blank Space, 2847 Cherokee, St. Louis (November 15, 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.)
- Marketplace Enrollment Event, Swope Health Services, 3801 Blue Parkway, Kansas City (November 15, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
- Community Health Fair and Open Enrollment, Belton Regional Medical Center, 17065 S. 71 Highway, Belton (November 15, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
- Daniel Boone Library Enrollment Event, Daniel Boone Library, 100 W Broadway, Columbia (November 15, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
- Springfield City-Wide CoxHealth Open Enrollment Event, CoxHealth, 3318 South National, Springfield (November 15, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
- Regional Open Enrollment Event, Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium, 903 South Kingshighway, Sikeston (November 15, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
- Learn About New Health Insurance Coverage, Randolph County YMCA, 1000 Kwix Road, Moberly (November 21, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
Additional event listings can be found at www.covermissouri.org.
"Education and enrollment events hosted by Cover Missouri members statewide provide a wonderful opportunity for consumers to get free help understanding their options for obtaining quality, affordable coverage in the Missouri Marketplace," said Stephene Moore, Regional Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Region 7, Missouri. "We encourage anyone who plans to use the Marketplace to get coverage for 2015 not to miss the chance to get in-person assistance in their area."
For more information on health care options or to learn more about Cover Missouri, please visit healthcare.gov and covermissouri.org.
ABOUT COVER MISSOURI COALITION
Cover Missouri is a project of the Missouri Foundation for Health to promote quality, affordable health coverage for every Missourian. The Cover Missouri Coalition aims to reduce the rate of uninsured Missourians to less than five percent in the next five years. Members work to build awareness, facilitate enrollment, increase health insurance literacy and support Medicaid transformation. Coalition members will also share learning and best practices, maximize resources, identify challenges and opportunities and build an inclusive plan to insure Missourians. For more information on the Marketplace, please visit covermissouri.org.
ABOUT MISSOURI FOUNDATION FOR HEALTH
The Missouri Foundation for Health is an independent philanthropic foundation dedicated to improving the health of people in our region. The Foundation works as a changemaker, educator, and partner to promote community health and increase access to care for the uninsured and underserved.
For more information about Missouri Foundation for Health, please visit www.mffh.org.
SOURCE Cover Missouri Coalition
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