Job number 1 this weekend: Getting Out the Vote. But while you’re out there knocking on doors, or making phone calls, or sending texts or just talking to your family and friends, and if you have the opportunity, have the health insurance conversation. Are you insured? Do you need insurance? Have you checked out the health insurance exchange in your state?
Open enrollment started yesterday, and in most state runs until December 15 (exceptions are here). The Kaiser Family Foundation has updated its subsidy calculator to help you or people you’re helping figure out how much they could be paying for premiums as well as what financial assistance is available based on household income, family size, ages of family members, and zip code. The calculator also helps consumers determine whether they could be eligible for Medicaid. The tool is embedded here below the fold for you to play around with. A Spanish-language version of the calculator is also available.
Of course KFF has more for you, including a searchable collection of more than 300 Frequently Asked Questions about open enrollment, the marketplaces and the ACA; everything from eligibility for subsidies to requirements for health coverage and information about health plans offered through state ACA marketplaces. This year’s FAQ includes information on the 2019 repeal of the individual mandate tax penalty and has a new section on short-term health insurance policies. More than 150 of the FAQs in the collection are also available in Spanish.
That’s the starting point for getting covered in 2019. But first, we have to make sure that everyone can still get covered in 2020. That means flipping Congress and that means GOTV now.