Essex County Freeholder: Here’s How To Sign Up For Obamacare

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — If you’re looking to sign up for Obamacare, you have until Saturday, Dec. 15 to make arrangements, an Essex County freeholder says.

Earlier this week, Essex County Freeholder President Brendan Gill urged local residents to sign up for health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – otherwise known as Obamacare – before the close of open enrollment on Dec. 15.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2019, all residents are required to have health insurance coverage or pay a penalty at tax time, unless they qualify for an exemption, Gill stated.

Gill said that the ACA processes have “continued to improve” since the act was signed into law., and that there are “more resources than ever” to help citizens enroll in the best plan available.

“There are 30 facilities in Essex County alone that are staffed with workers to assist citizens who may need help in the enrollment process.” Gill said. “There is also a toll-free hotline that can be accessed from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. by anyone who would prefer to enroll online as opposed to enrolling at one of the physical locations.”

Not only has the ACA process become more streamlined, it is also more cost-effective, Gill claimed.

“Governor Murphy has signed a directive into law that has created a state reinsurance program,” Gill said in a news release. “This resulted in a 9.3 percent reduction in rates on the individual market for 2019.”

Gill said he was a long-time supporter of the Affordable Care Act, and added that he is “determined to keep one of the lasting legacies of the Obama administration alive and well.”

“The relentless assault on the Affordable Care Act at the hands of the right-wing in Congress proves that they put the concerns of Big Insurance and their lobbyists ahead of those of the middle-class,” Gill charged.

The freeholder concluded:

“The need for citizens to enroll in healthcare coverage for themselves and their families is two-fold. First and foremost, health insurance coverage for your family is vital to their security and well-being. Secondly, policies and measures put in place to make healthcare available to all Americans must not be treated with apathy. If we do not give these measures a chance to work by participating in the process, then we will be assisting the misinformation campaign that has been put in place by those interested in destroying the ACA before it has a chance to work effectively.”

• See related article: Meet 10 New Jersey Families Who Had To Crowdfund For Healthcare

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Main Photo: Shutterstock

Photo 2: Brendan W. Gill, President - Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders