November 22, 2023

Dear Friends,

Did you know that there are two Open Enrollment periods happening right now?
 
Medicare Open Enrollment started on October 15, and goes through December 7.
 
And the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace Open Enrollment period started on November 1, and goes through January 15, 2024.
 
If you have a Medicare-related plan such as a Medicare Advantage Plan or a prescription drug Part D plan, this is the time of year that you will want to check your plans and make sure they still work well for you.
 
And if you have an ACA Marketplace plan – or need health insurance – this is the time of year when you can sign up for a plan, or renew your current plan.
 
CCHCC can help! We help with both Open Enrollments!
 
About the ACA Marketplace – private health insurance plans AND subsidies to make plans more affordable:  The Affordable Care Act created the Marketplace, where individuals and families can go to purchase private health insurance plans, and qualify for financial assistance to lower the costs of the health insurance plans. But the ACA Marketplace has an Open Enrollment period during which to purchase the Marketplace plans and qualify for subsidies. Fortunately, this Open Enrollment period goes until January 15!
 
To learn more about the ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment, please visit our Marketplace Open Enrollment Center.
 
Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for Marketplace plans:  The ACA Marketplace does allow for enrollment in health insurance plans outside of the Open Enrollment period, but only under certain conditions.
 
People can enroll outside of the Open Enrollment Period within 60 days of certain circumstances if they have had a major change in their lives, including:
• Losing insurance from a job;
• Having a baby;
• Moving to a new zip code;
• Change in tax household;
• Turning 26 and losing dependent coverage;
• And more!
 
Medicaid health insurance is available year-round, and CCHCC can help you enroll in Medicaid: Unlike the ACA Marketplace, enrollment in Medicaid is available year-round, with no special open enrollment periods.
 
Medicaid is health insurance that is offered by the government and it will cover the 10 Essential Health Benefits just like the private plans offered in the Marketplace. And, Medicaid has no monthly premiums!
 
If you are unsure whether you qualify for Medicaid or a private subsidized plan through the Marketplace, you can contact CCHCC, and we can help!
 
Please help spread the word to let others know that affordable health insurance options are available! Feel free to forward or post this message and CCHCC’s information to help us reach even more people who might be in need of help.

Did you 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!

Please click the Support CCHCC! button below to learn more about our work, and how you can help support us!

SUPPORT CCHCC!

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!

Sincerely,
 
Claudia Lennhoff
Executive Director
Champaign County Health Care Consumers