RALEIGH · March 26, 2020
March 23 marked the 10th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act’s passage into law. Over the last ten years, the law has provided comprehensive, affordable health coverage for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians.
North Carolinians who have lost their coverage due to the Cronavirus pandemic are eligible to enroll in coverage on HealthCare.gov, the health insurance marketplace established by the Affordable Care Act. This special enrollment period is available for a period of 60 days from the consumer’s initial loss of coverage. Any Marketplace coverage will cover the consumer through the remainder of 2020 unless they enroll in other coverage. Those who have questions or need help enrolling in Marketplace coverage can call 1-855-733-3711 (toll free) or visit ncnavigator.net to schedule a free, over the phone appointment with an NC Navigator.
“For 10 years, the Affordable Care Act has provided so many North Carolinians with the peace of mind that comes with health coverage,” Mark Van Arnam, director of the NC Navigator Consortium, said. “As navigators, we are proud to have played a part in this effort and hope we can continue enrolling North Carolinians in afforcable coverage for decades to come.”
“This anniversary comes at a poignant time for the Affordable Care Act, as untold numbers of North Carolinians stand to lose their private health coverage due to the Coronavirus. We want to make it easy for folks who have lost coverage due to this pandemic to get covered. Call us or visit our website to book an over-the-phone appointment, or just to find additional Coronavirus resources. We are here to help. Time is limited for those affected to enroll, so it is important that folks act quickly,” Van Arnam said.
Consumers can call 855-733-3711 or visit ncnavigator.net to schedule a free, confidential, one-on-one phone appointment with an NC Navigator.
NC Navigators are trained to help consumers enroll in coverage on HealthCare.gov. They can help consumers understand the details of the different plans, complete the enrollment process and determine their eligibility for financial assistance. Last year, nine in 10 North Carolinians who enrolled in coverage on HealthCare.gov received financial assistance, with the average premium being $68.10.
In addition to residents who have lost coverage due toe the Coronavirus, North Carolinians can still enroll in 2020 coverage on HealthCare.gov if they experience certain other life changes, like getting married or divorced, having a baby or adopting a child, moving, or losing health coverage. Learn more at https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage-outside-open-enrollment/special-enrollment-period/.
NC Navigators are available throughout the year and can help consumers determine if they qualify for any Special Enrollment Period.
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Media Contacts
Mark Van Arnam, Director, NC Navigator Consortium, 336-272-0148, [email protected]
The NC Navigator Consortium is a group of six health care, social service and legal aid organizations that helps North Carolina consumers enroll in affordable, comprehensive health insurance plans on HealthCare.gov, the Health Insurance Marketplace established by the Affordable Care Act. Members of the consortium are Access East, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Cumberland HealthNet, HealthNet Gaston, and Legal Aid of North Carolina, which leads the consortium. The consortium is funded in part by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust and Cone Health. Learn more at ncnavigator.net.
Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal help to low-income and vulnerable North Carolinians. Learn more at legalaidnc.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.