September 14, 2018
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 you this letter, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) faces renewed threats as a Texas federal court judge hears arguments in the Texas vs. Azar case that seeks to invalidate the law’s preexisting condition protections and potentially the entire law itself. Simultaneously, the Senate is holding confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who could cast the vote that undoes the ACA.
These threats could have far-reaching consequences on the lives of millions of Americans, and on the future of all forms of health insurance in the U.S., including Medicare. These threats also bring into sharp focus the importance of voting in elections – policy and law are made by elected officials and the people they appoint to the courts. CCHCC is organizing to register, educate, and empower health care voters!
But even as these threats escalate, the ACA is still the law of the land, and individuals and families in our community still need help getting covered and navigating the ACA’s Marketplace and Medicare. Open Enrollment periods for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, and for the ACA Marketplace are quickly approaching, and CCHCC is gearing up to help our community.
We’ve got you covered – on the voter education, advocacy, and community organizing side – fighting for good health care policy that will improve people’s health and their lives – and on the direct service side – providing free services to help people get health insurance coverage, access to care, and social services they need. With your support, we can continue the fight to protect our care, and to provide free, vital direct services to keep our community covered.
Health insurance enrollment – We’ve got you covered!
Health insurance enrollment work requires increasingly specialized knowledge and skills – whether for Medicare, or for the ACA Marketplace and Medicaid. Our federally-certified staff are the most experienced enrollment counselors in our community. This means that anyone – young or old or in between; employed or unemployed; retired; low-income, middle-income, high income, or no income; currently insured or uninsured – can come to CCHCC and we will help them figure out what coverage is available to them, and we will help them get covered!
Open Enrollment Community Meetings – Save these dates!
An important part of our work is to help community members prepare for two different open enrollment periods – Medicare Open Enrollment, and Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment.
Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment Community Meeting – Monday, October 15, 2018 at 6 p.m. at Champaign Public Library. The ACA Marketplace (healthcare.gov) Open Enrollment period is now from November 1 through December 15, for people who are seeking an individual health insurance plan – usually individuals who do not have coverage through their employer – and for those who need to renew their Marketplace plan.
Medicare Open Enrollment Community Meeting – Thursday, October 25, 2018 at 10 a.m. at Champaign Public Library. This meeting is for Medicare beneficiaries, or for those who will soon be enrolled in Medicare. The Medicare Open Enrollment period is from October 15 through December 7, for enrolling in Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D (prescription) plans.
Threats to the Affordable Care Act and the Importance of Voting
The threats to the ACA from the Texas vs. Azar case follow after more than 500 days of the Trump Administration’s sabotage to the Affordable Care Act. When the ACA could not be repealed through legislative means, the Trump Administration set out to undermine and sabotage the ACA through administrative measures, rule-making, and funding reductions, and now through the court system. Some states’ Governors and Attorneys General are helping to defend the ACA in the Texas vs. Azar federal court case, while others are attacking the ACA’s pre-existing protection provision. Never has it been more clear that when it comes to health policy and law, elections matter. Who we elect at every level of office in local, state, and federal government can have an impact on our health care.
Getting registered to vote, and voting in the November 2018 General Election
is one of the most important things you can do as a health care consumer!
Here’s the good news: Illinois now has Automatic Voter Registration (AVR)! If you live in Illinois, the most important thing you can do is to check your voter registration, and make sure your address is up to date. Checking your information is easy and can be done online through the “Illinois Online Voter Application” website, or through your County Clerk’s office, online or in person. If you need help, contact CCHCC!
CCHCC needs your financial support, and your active and ongoing involvement in our efforts to protect the health security of millions of Americans and to help our community members get covered. Please let us know if you can help [1] with sharing information, joining our e-mail listserv [2] to stay updated and receive urgent calls to action, pledging to be a health care voter, or making a contribution to help support CCHCC’s ongoing advocacy and organizing efforts, as well as our enrollment work.
Support CCHCC. [3]
We thank you for your commitment, and for your ongoing support and involvement!
Sincerely,
Claudia Lennhoff
Executive Director