Health Insurance Enrollment Assistance Offered in Sevierville

A number of free, face-to-face enrollment clinics have been scheduled to help people enroll in a health insurance plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Subsidies are available to help pay part, or all, of the premium cost for people who qualify.

First frosts and the end of Daylight Savings Time means lots of things to Sevier County folks, but here’s one more. The seventh Open Enrollment Period (OEP7) for individual or family plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace at healthcare.gov (Obamacare) is underway. Open Enrollment started on November 1 and will run through December 15, 2019. This is when you can renew your current plan, change it to a different one, or sign up for the first time.

You may be eligible for a subsidy to reduce your insurance premium.

When you submit an application for coverage in the Health Insurance Marketplace, you’ll find out if you qualify for a “Premium Tax Credit” or subsidy that lowers your premium — the amount you pay each month to your insurance plan. The amount of your premium tax credit depends on the estimated household income for 2020 that you put on your Marketplace application.

You may also qualify for extra savings with Cost-Sharing Reductions-CSRs that lower the amount you have to pay for deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance, when you enroll in a plan in the Silver category.

The Health Insurance Marketplace is the only way you can access the Premium Tax Credit subsidies for premiums and lower out of pocket costs with Cost-Sharing Reductions-CSRs. The premium tax credits are available for income levels up to four times the Federal poverty line (about $50,000 for a one person household) and the CSRs up to two and a half times this same line (about $31,000 for this same person). If you are eligible for these subsidies, these plans can be both affordable and offer good value. Even if you are not eligible for a subsidy, they still may be cheaper and more comprehensive than your current individual/family coverage.

Choose from 31 plans offered by 4 insurance companies.

This year in Sevier County and surrounding areas, four insurance companies are offering thirty-one plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace. The well-known insurers are BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Cigna and Bright Health, with Celtic/Ambetter of Tennessee newly offering coverage in the area. All these companies have been found to be well financed and reputable by both federal & Tennessee state regulators.

You must be a citizen or legal resident to be able to purchase a plan on the Health Insurance Marketplace, but members of families with mixed-status individuals may get plans for those eligible. If you are offered a plan by your employer, you must meet coverage and cost rules to be able to get a subsidy. Also, due to the Tennessee General Assembly’s refusal to accept federal money to cover those under the federal poverty line, these individuals unfortunately are also not eligible for Marketplace plans.

Those with current plans have already heard from the Health Insurance Marketplace and their insurers about the Open Enrollment Period. There are various easy auto-renewal options, but it is strongly recommended that you look at all the current plans and it is essential, if there are changes in your household makeup or in your income, that you update your info in your Marketplace account. Many can do this on their own, but if you are interested in receiving free, face-to-face assistance you can call 844-644-5443 for a free appointment with a local qualified assister. You can also receive assistance from local insurance agents and brokers, and this year there are new online brokers who can make the process easy. However, it is recommended that you be careful with online vendors, since not all are trustworthy or actually represent the Health Insurance Marketplace. You can go to healthcare.gov and get more info on these options.

So, as you think about the Holidays this Fall, take needed action about your 2020 Health Insurance needs and options. You’ll probably enjoy the former a lot more, if you can rest easy about the latter.

Health Insurance Enrollment Assistance Clinics

Visit one of these enrollment clinics for free, face-to-face assistance with renewing or newly enrolling in a health insurance plan though the federal Health Insurance Marketplace (Healthcare.gov) for 2020. Significant premium tax-credits and other subsidies remain available to many based on income.

Monday, November 4th
3-5 PM at The King Family Library (408 High St., Sevierville, TN 37862)

Wednesday, November 6
1-3 PM at My People Sevier Activities Center (1220 W Main St., Sevierville, TN 37862)

Wednesday, November 13
1-3 PM at My People Senior Activities Center (1220 W Main St., Sevierville, TN 37862)

Wednesday, November 20
1-3 PM at My People Senior Activities Center (1220 W Main St., Sevierville, TN 37862)

Monday, December 2
3-6 PM at The King Family Library, 408 High St., Sevierville, TN 37862

Wednesday, December 4
1-3 PM at My People Senior Activities Center (1220 W Main St., Sevierville, TN 37862)

Saturday, December 7
10 AM – 3 PM at The King Family Library (408 High St., Sevierville, TN 37862)

Wednesday, December 11
1-3 PM at My People Senior Activities Center (1220 W Main St., Sevierville, TN 37862)