December 2021
En Español: Esta es una carta solicitando una donación para el trabajo que hace CCHCC. Si tiene preguntas sobre esta carta, o para mas información sobre donando a CCHCC, llame a (217) 352-6533 y pregunte por Chris o Adani.
Dear Friends,
As we write this letter to you, we are in the midst of two overlapping Open Enrollments: Medicare Open Enrollment for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D (prescription drug) plans AND the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace Open Enrollment for private health insurance and subsidies!
But, CCHCC provides more than enrollment help – we help people get the health care they need. As part of our enrollment services, we help people get set up with “medical homes” where they can receive primary and preventive care, and referrals for specialty care. We also help pay for people’s prescriptions when they can’t afford them, and we help our clients gain access to affordable dental, vision, and mental health services. Our work gives our clients the gift of health.
And, did you know that CCHCC is the only organization in Champaign County that can help local residents with BOTH Medicare Open Enrollment, as well as ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment? And, we also help with Medicaid enrollment, which is open year-round! And our services are FREE! You can help support CCHCC’s Open Enrollment work by sharing our information with others so that they can get help getting covered, and also by making a financial contribution to CCHCC.
Did you also know that Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC) gets no federal or state funding to help community members enroll in health insurance? And yet, even without federal or state funding, CCHCC has been doing enrollment work for the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplace plans since the very beginning – October 2013. And, we’ve been doing Medicare enrollment work even longer, and our services are free!
How can we do this work without federal or state grants? The funding that supports CCHCC’s enrollment work comes from community support – including individual contributions from people like you!
CCHCC’s staff are the most experienced enrollment workers in our community, and they are here to help year-round! Thanks to community support from people like you, CCHCC has been able to retain staff and build our expertise in health insurance enrollment.
Our work is much harder and more time-consuming during the pandemic. CCHCC’s work to provide free services to consumers, including health insurance enrollment, is much harder now that we have to work remotely and practice social-distancing. Providing direct services to consumers is more complicated and time-consuming, and our ongoing work of doing community outreach and education for the Open Enrollment periods is more challenging than ever, as we have to do this work without being able to hold in-person meetings.
ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment is from November 1 through January 15, 2021. Good news! The ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment period has been extended by one month! Now, instead of closing in mid-December, ACA Open Enrollment goes through January 15, 2022. Please note, however, that if you need health insurance to begin on January 1, you MUST complete your ACA Open Enrollment by December 15, in order for your new insurance to be available on January 1.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), which created the Marketplace, makes private health insurance available and affordable. The ACA provides subsidies to help make that insurance even more affordable, and the subsidies are available through the ACA Marketplace! Most folks who get their health insurance through the ACA Marketplace need help and guidance with their enrollment process, and with applying for financial assistance. CCHCC is here and ready to help!
Also, for lower-income folks, Medicaid is still available, and Medicaid enrollment is available year-round. If you are not sure whether you qualify for a Marketplace plan with a subsidy, or for Medicaid, we can help you figure that out!
Medicare Open Enrollment – from October 15 through December 7, 2021
Medicare Open Enrollment for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D (prescription drug plans) takes place every year from October 15 through December 7. If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Medicare Part D Plan, this is your opportunity to review your plan to make sure it will continue to meet your needs for the coming year, or to change plans, if needed. CCHCC staff are available to schedule appointments to help answer your Medicare-related questions and to help guide you through your decisions about whether to keep or change your plans. Also, if you are going to be new to Medicare, CCHCC can help you get set up for your Medicare enrollment and the decisions you will need to make about your coverage. In addition, CCHCC can help provide information about programs like Medicare Extra Help and Medicare Savings, that can help lower the costs of Medicare expenses for low-income seniors and people with disabilities.
If you need help with your ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment or Medicare Open Enrollment, please contact CCHCC to schedule an appointment with one of our knowledgeable staff! To contact CCHCC for help, please call our office phone and leave a voicemail message at 217-352-6533, or send us an email at cchcc@cchcc-il.org [1]. We will contact you to schedule your appointment!
Thank you for your support!
We appreciate your financial support for our services. Together, we are building a stronger, healthier community – together, we are giving the gift of health!
DONATE NOW! [2]
Sincerely,
Claudia Lennhoff
Executive Director