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A Simpler Way to Apply for Health Care

Posted on May 1, 2013 by scjustice

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Tuesday, April 30, 2013 that the application for health coverage has been simplified and significantly shortened. The application for individuals without health insurance has been reduced from twenty-one to three pages, and the application for families is reduced by two-thirds. The consumer friendly forms are much shorter than industry standards for health insurance applications today.

In addition, for the first time consumers will be able to fill out one simple application and see their entire range of health insurance options, including plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and tax credits that will help pay for premiums.

The applications released today, which can be submitted starting on October 1, can be found here: http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/other/index.html#hie

View the Individual Short Form here: http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/other/files/AttachmentB_042913.pdf

View the Family Form here:

http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/other/files/AttachmentC_042913.pdf

View the Individual without Financial Assistance here:

http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/other/files/AttachmentD_042913.pdf

The online version of the application will be a dynamic experience that shortens the application process based on individuals’ responses. The paper application was simplified and tailored to meet personal situations based on important feedback from consumer groups.

Consumers can apply online, by phone or paper when open enrollment begins October 1, 2013. There will be clear information provided about how to complete the application, and how to access help applying and enrolling in coverage.

This consumer-focused approach will facilitate the enrollment of millions of Americans into affordable, high quality coverage while minimizing the administrative burden on states, individuals and health plans.

For more information about the Health Insurance Marketplace, visit: www.HealthCare.gov

Questions or Concerns? Contact HHSIEA@hhs.gov.

Filed under: Affordable Care Act, Children's Health Insurance Program, Community Health, Health Care, Health Care For Children, Medicaid | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Expanding Medicaid Will Benefit Both Low-Income Women and Their Babies

Posted on April 18, 2013 by scjustice

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For SC Appleseed and our partners in South Carolina, this is yet another example of how accepting the federal dollars for Medicaid support would not only help close gaps in the health coverage, but could be a critical game changer for countless low-income South Carolinians.

According to a study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priority, nearly 6 million women between the ages of 19-44 who do not have insurance could gain health coverage if all states expand their Medicaid programs in 2014 under health reform.

When women have health coverage before becoming pregnant as well as between pregnancies, they are healthier during pregnancy and their babies are more likely to be healthy at birth, research shows. Yet today, millions of low-income women do not have access to continuous health coverage. Instead, under current eligibility rules, many women become eligible for Medicaid only when they become pregnant, and then lose that coverage soon after giving birth.

The Medicaid expansion is therefore a vital opportunity for states to close gaps in the health coverage  of low-income women, many of whom can only gain coverage when they are pregnant under current  eligibility rules. Ensuring continuous coverage would improve the health of women and their babies,  which would lower Medicaid costs related to delivery and postnatal care. Read the full report here.

Filed under: Affordable Care Act, Community Health, Health Care, Health Care For Children, healthcare reform, Medicaid | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Implementing the Affordable Care Act’s Insurance Reforms: Consumer Recommendations for Regulators and Lawmakers

Posted on August 15, 2012 by scjustice

This month a team of professionals serving as consumer representatives to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) organized a recommendation report to assist regulators, lawmakers and the NAIC during implementation of the comprehensive insurance reforms.  It discusses details of reforms of private insurance that should be considered as the Affordable Care Act is implemented.

VIEW REPORT

Filed under: Affordable Care Act, Health Care Advocates, Health Care For Children, Health Care Law Implementation, healthcare reform | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

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