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For all its virtues, Utah has had a somewhat shaky past with medical coverage.
In 2020, Wendy Leonard for Deseret News reported that many Utahns find health care hard to afford. In the study, Utah ranked 35th out of 42 states surveyed by Altarum Healthcare Value Hub.
“It’s disappointing to see Utah ranked so low for health care affordability, but it’s not surprising since most people in our state struggle to afford health care,” said Courtney Bullard, director of education and collaborations at the Utah Health Policy Project. Desert News.
Regardless of their personal circumstances, no one should worry about getting the care they need. But, if you’re in the group that’s struggling to afford market coverage for you and your family, you probably qualify for a Utah-based program that provides market health insurance at very little or no cost. free.
Read on to see how this program could help you during the open enrollment period from November 1 to January 15.
Speak to a Community Health Center Enrollment Specialist
Utah Community Health Centers are here to help you every step of the way as you explore insurance market options for the year ahead. Their help with registration and applying for additional financial aid is free.
A Community Health Center Enrollment Specialist will guide you through all of the health insurance options available to you and your family, ensuring that you get the best coverage at the lowest possible cost for your situation. An enrollment specialist will also help you complete a Health Insurance Premium Support Program (HIPS) application, which could lower your costs even further.
How it works
The Health Insurance Premium Assistance Program provides low-cost health insurance at no cost to eligible individuals. If you meet the eligibility requirements, which many Utahans do, HIPS pays all or part of your monthly health insurance premium.
HIPS also helps pay for unexpected and long-term costs. Some of them include emergency care, preventive care, physiotherapy, and drug coverage.
Speaking to KSL.com in 2021, Alan Pruhs, Executive Director of AUCH, said: “While uninsured patients can receive affordable primary care at a community health center, they often face an enormous burden financial as a result of critical illness, emergency or other specialized care not offered by a health center… HIPS helps eliminate or reduce the cost of health insurance premiums for individuals and families who have struggling to make ends meet Good quality health insurance provides peace of mind in the event of a medical emergency.
If you meet the requirements for additional financial assistance, you can register with your local community health center. A registration specialist will guide you through the process and help you register for free.
Are you eligible?
Many Utahns will qualify for this program. Be sure to contact an enrollment specialist at the Community Health Center during the open enrollment period from November 1 to January 15 to help you find an affordable market plan and to verify your eligibility for financial assistance to pay your coverage.
You will need to confirm your eligibility with an enrollment specialist, but here are the preliminary qualification standards:
- Must be a Utah resident
- Have qualifying income
- Eligibility for a plan in the federal health insurance market
- Select a Silver plan
Get help with registration
If you still have questions, you can speak to a Community Health Center Enrollment Specialist for free help enrolling in a health plan through the Marketplace and completing a HIPS application. They will help you find the best health insurance options available for you and your family.
For free support, go online or visit auch.org/enrollment-assistance today to learn more.
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