Need help paying for healthcare? Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, you’ve got options | Opinion
While most of Florida’s tourist destinations have re-opened after an economically straining year, many of our fellow Floridians are still struggling to recover from the effects of the global pandemic. One item tucked into the American Rescue Plan passed by Congress in March is making healthcare coverage more affordable through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).
For Floridians ages 50-64, this message is for you: Statistics show that 1.3 million residents in this age bracket could be helped by enrolling in a healthcare exchange plan. This includes the 646,785 of them who are uninsured.
AARP Florida encourages all Floridians who are uninsured or struggling to afford health insurance to visit healthcare.gov for information about how to sign up. No eligible person should be cut off from the opportunity to live a healthy life. For those who were not eligible for financial assistance through the Marketplace before, check again — you may be eligible now.
This special enrollment period ends Aug. 15 and coverage is available to anyone who needs it. It’s especially important for Florida’s Hispanic communities where overall, 20 percent of Hispanic adults ages 50-64 are without insurance. That’s three times higher than non-Hispanic, white Americans.
Finding affordable health coverage
How the ACA can help you: People can sign-up at lower premium rates, no rates, may be eligible for premium tax credits or could upgrade their plan at reduced monthly rates.
How much do the marketplace health plans cost? According to Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, more people than ever now qualify for savings that help lower their monthly premiums. For example, a family of four can get a plan for $163 per month, and 4 out of 5 customers can find a plan for $10 or less per month.
How it works: The special enrollment period opened April 1 and closes Aug. 15. During this window of opportunity, anyone without insurance can purchase healthcare or upgrade their plan to see savings through lower or no premiums as well as from tax credit improvements through 2022.
A new analysis from AARP’s Public Policy Institute found that nearly half of adults ages 50-64 in the U.S. who have purchased their own health insurance faced unaffordable health coverage in 2019, compared to only 30 percent of younger adults, who pay three times less than older adults. For example, a 64-year-old earning $49,000 a year would have faced a premium of 30 percent of their income — a price tag that would put health insurance out of reach for many.
Today, there are 31 million Americans who now have access to insurance through ACA healthcare exchanges. By signing up for healthcare offered in the marketplace exchange, you’ll see savings within 30 days after choosing a plan that will offset economic strain while also helping to reduce healthcare disparities encountered when uninsured.
Together, let’s address the persistent health issues affecting all older Floridians who have the greatest need for robust healthcare coverage. Visit aarp.org/ACA for additional resources.
Jeff Johnson is state director of AARP Florida.