for purchasing Obamacare opened Tuesday people were already registered to meet
with health navigators. Health navigators are available to help consumers,
small businesses, and their employees enroll in insurance plans through the marketplace.
Five Michigan based human service organizations
will share a $2.54 million grant from the Michigan Health Insurance Marketplace’s
navigator program. The organizations include ACCESS, Michigan
Consumers for Healthcare, Community Bridges Management, American Indian Health
and Family Services of Southeast Michigan.
More than 100 organizations received similar grants
nationwide. Funding from the grants will be used to help get people registered
for marketplace plans. ACCESS introduced its navigator program this week
at the Arab American National Museum. The group received $277,000 of the grant.
“Today we are making history together. Today is our
first step to make health care a human right and not just a privilege…I have
seen men and women suffer from complications of chronic diseases and lack of
preventative care,” said Dr. Adnan Hammad, senior director of the ACCESS
Community Health and Research Center.
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| “The Affordable Care Act is a breath of fresh air for me,” Litzner said. “I no longer have to worry about making ends meet.” |
Hammad
has witnessed many women die of breast cancer because of the lack of early
detection and no access to mammograms. He said one out of four female cancer
survivors has no access to cancer treatment.
that many people who could not afford to get screenings or medical lab work became
victims of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke and other health
complications.
“It is painful to see our women and families suffer
because they have no insurance or access to early detection and screenings,” Hammad
said.
Litzner works as a health navigator for the group, and has type 1 diabetes. She
discussed how the disease influenced her to take on the role.
Litzner, 25, is looking forward to getting insured
through the marketplace. Coverage begins Jan. 1. Litzner is getting
closer to being kicked off her parents’ insurance plan as her 26th
birthday approaches.
She takes five prescriptions to treat the disease. Fees
for her prescriptions and doctor visits combined would cost more than her own
salary. She called seven insurance companies to inquire
about plans, but the fees were “astronomical.”
Litzner would not have been able to purchase health
insurance without the Affordable Care Act.
“The
Affordable Care Act is a breath of fresh air for me,” Litzner said. “I no
longer have to worry about making ends meet. No insurance company can kick me
off a plan because of my pre-existing condition. Now I want to help others take
advantage of it.”
Medicaid
expansion underway in Michigan
The Affordable Care Act will expand Medicaid in
states including Michigan. Gov. Rick Snyder signed
the Healthy Michigan plan into law last month.
The law is expected to
expand Medicaid to nearly a half million Michigan residents. In the first
year, Healthy Michigan is anticipated to cover 320,000 Michiganders, eventually
providing care for 470,000–most who are working, but earning about $15,000 a
year.
Michigan’s hospitals
bear more than $880 million in uncompensated costs every year. These
costs are passed along to individuals and businesses through higher health care
premiums. Healthy Michigan will help alleviate hundreds of millions of those
costs, annually.
Snyder
says the Healthy Michigan plan will make the recovering economy stronger and
save money for taxpayers and job providers.
Marketplace
offers financial assistance to low-income individuals
Under provisions of the AFA people can qualify for
financial assistance to help cover the costs of insurance plans.
Madiha Tariq, program coordinator for the ACCESS
Community Health and Research Center says the eligibility for assistance
depends on an individual’s income level. Those who apply for insurance in
the marketplace will be notified about whether they are eligible for assistance.
The marketplace offers free or low-cost programs for those who qualify.
Those who are not insured and fail to register for
insurance in the marketplace by the enrollment deadline of Mar. 31, 2014 are
subject to penalties and fines that vary depending on income. Tariq says the
cost of penalties could increase in 2016.
The marketplace offers several types of health insurance
plans to meet a variety of needs and budgets. The plans allow people to decide
how much they want to spend on premiums each month.
“Many people out there are having a hard time
believing that health care will actually be affordable. My response is you will
never know if it is affordable unless you try. So please, come to us and
see where you stand in the marketplace. Our services are absolutely free and
there are no strings attached, because we do not work for any insurance
companies,” Hammad said.
To seek assistance from the ACCESS navigator
program visit accesshealthcaremichigan.org or call 888.670.6798.
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