ACA stands for the Affordable Care Act, which is the health reform law also known as “Obamacare”.
CCHCC’s ACA Enrollment Program was established in October2013. CCHCC’s staff are Certified Application Counselors (CACs), and provide in-person help to community members who need to enroll in insurance coverage and financial assistance made available by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). CCHCC staff help enroll community members into in Medicaid as well as private insurance options available through the Health Insurance Marketplace on Health Care.gov.
The Health Insurance Marketplace (Health Care.gov) is the place you can go to get new affordable health insurance under the ACA.The Marketplace is for you if you are currently uninsured, have an individual plan, or want to see what other options you have. While the Open Enrollment Period is currently closed for the Marketplace, individuals may qualify for Special Enrollment Periods when a life-changing event occurs (like moving,changing jobs, etc.). Open Enrollment runs from November 1, 2016 to January 31,2017.
Medicaid – also known as the medical card, public aid, All Kids, and Family Care – is health insurance provided by the state of Illinois to adults and families who meet certain income criteria. The Medicaid program in Illinois was expanded under the ACA, so more individuals can get coverag ethrough the program, just by meeting income criteria. If you think you qualify for Medicaid, you can skip the Health Care.gov website and apply directly through abe.illinois.gov. Enrollment is year-round for Medicaid. CCHCC also helps with Managed Care plan choice and enrollment, which offers some Medicaid members the option to choose a company to manage their benefits.
Please use the Income Guideline Chart below to help determine which program you will be eligible for, and to see which website to use. If you are unsure of what you might be eligible for, or would like help applying, please contact CCHCC at (217) 352-6533.