| For many, the time is now to enroll in health insurance to access care in 2023 – the Healthcare.gov Open Enrollment season now through January 15th. Many farm households involved in certain commodity specializations do not have health insurance coverage. Compared with U.S. households in general, a slightly smaller proportion of farm households have health insurance. As with U.S. households in general, a major risk facing farm households is illness or injury to household members, with medical expenses incurred in response to an illness capable of draining household resources. Health insurance provides individuals or groups with at least partial reimbursement for covered medical expenses in return for an upfront periodic fee. “Too many people put off the care that they need. They put off going to see a doctor,” said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. “Health insurance gives you the additional confidence to get that care, not just for yourself but also for your family.” And that’s where Covering Wisconsin (CWI) comes in. Let’s face it, health insurance is confusing. CWI provides free, local help for people to understand their health insurance options and find a plan that meets their family’s health and financial needs. Through licensed and experienced navigators and enrollment assisters, CWI can help consumers enroll in Wisconsin’s Medicaid program, BadgerCare Plus, Healthcare.gov plans, and other programs. Visit https://coveringwi.org/ As of 2020, an estimated 312,000 Wisconsinites did not have health insurance and nearly half of those people may be eligible for Healthcare.gov based premium tax credits, while another quarter could be eligible for Medicaid/BadgerCare. “This is, in fact, a statewide problem,” said Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. “One of the resources we want to encourage folks to use is a website called WisCovered.com, which has great information about Open Enrollment, where to find a Navigator and how to get help in all 72 counties of our state.” Spreading the word about Open Enrollment is the best way to help reach people who continue to be uninsured. Many people who reach out to Covering Wisconsin to enroll in Healthcare.gov coverage end up being eligible for Medicaid. Consumers can visit WisCovered.com to learn more, or call the 2-1-1 helpline (877-947-2211) to find an expert near them. |
