Obamacare Open Enrollment Begins Nov. 1

JOHNSTON – Tri-Town Community Action Agency provides free support to help clients enroll in healthcare under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [PPACA], and announced this week that the next Open Enrollment period for qualified health plans begins Nov. 1.

“Heading into the third full calendar year of ACA’s implementation, we have already seen a major improvement in the number of families who are benefitting from the new law,” explained CEO Joseph DeSantis. “Through our Navigators, Tri-Town has made it possible for more than 2,000 local families to see doctors and dentists, get their children critical immunizations, and address critical medical issues they may be facing.”

Tri-Town’s services include evaluation for enrollment in Medicaid [conducted year-round] and help with signing up for qualified health plans through HealthSourceRI, the state exchange.

DeSantis also noted that Tri-Town offers two local Health Centers, at 1126 Hartford Ave. in Johnston and 33 Maple Ave. in North Providence, for newly-insured residents.

“Another major benefit for people who come to Tri-Town seeking coverage is that we can immediately refer them to our highly-trained and dedicated staff of doctors, dentists, and specialists, reducing the time between getting health insurance and making appointments to address their health issues,” DeSantis said.

Starting with the 2016 coverage year, the penalty for not having health insurance for the year will increase to $695 per person or 2.5% of annual income, whichever is higher. The penalty is prorated for each month without insurance.

DeSantis explained that paying for health care instead of the higher penalty “makes economic sense, since instead of facing an IRS penalty that can be deducted from their tax returns, people can get low-cost coverage and potentially save thousands of dollars in health care costs.”

Enrollment appointments, held at Tri-Town’s main building at 1126 Hartford Ave., usually last 60 to 90 mins. and are typically set one to two business days following the initial phone call. Applicants are required to present a photo ID, social security card, and birth certificate. Proof of income [four weeks of pay stubs] are also required for working applicants.

Due to the reduction in the hours of operation at HealthSourceRI, appointments for Tri-Town Navigators are limited to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information, contact the Tri-Town Navigator team at (401) 519-1959 or (401) 519-1958.

Photo: President Barack Obama signs PPACA into law on March 23, 2010. Credit: wikipedia.org