We’re coming up on one of the most important times of the year: the “Open Enrollment” period to purchase health insurance for 2018. Over the past few years, the federal government has led the charge when it comes to reminding people about Open Enrollment; one of the goals of the Affordable Care Act is to make sure everyone knows they have the ability to purchase coverage for themselves and their families.
This year, though, the Trump administration has cut spending on Open Enrollment promotion by 90%. That means a lot of people won’t get the message that the time to sign up for health insurance in Rhode Island is November 1 – December 31, 2017. For tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders, this is not a deadline to let slip by.
There’s a good chance that many of your patients will look to you for answers about Open Enrollment – especially given the confusing news that’s coming out of Washington, D.C.
At Neighborhood, we’re doing our best to remind people that the Affordable Care Act is alive and well.
In fact, Rhode Island’s health insurance exchange, HealthSourceRI, is frequently held up as a model for other states to follow. Our enrollment is strong and our costs are affordable. More Rhode Islanders than ever before have health insurance – giving them access to preventive services like check-ups and vaccinations.
You make that care possible.
Patients who come to you with coverage from HealthSourceRI would likely be uninsured otherwise. Thank you for your continued partnership.
Neighborhood’s commercial plans for 2018 are largely the same as our 2017 plans; we haven’t added or removed any plans from our offerings and still offer the lowest priced health plan options. As long as they keep their coverage active by continuing premium payments during open enrollment, your patients with Neighborhood should have a smooth transition to the new year – as will your staff.
If your patients have questions about Open Enrollment, you can direct them right to HealthSource RI or to Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island (1-855-321-9244).