The Md. Health Connection is visiting college campuses to sign up people for health care coverage.
Frederick, Md (KM) Representatives from the Maryland Health Connection will be visiting college campuses this week to sign up more people for health care coverage. It’s all part of “College Enrollment Week.” “We’re going to be in two or three dozen colleges across the state, offering in person enrollment assistance and information assistance to encourage people to sign for health care during the open enrollment period that ends January 31st,” says spokesman Andrew Ratner.
He says Maryland Health Connection representatives will be at the Mount Saint Mary’s University Frederick campus, Unit A, Spectrum Drive, Tuesday, November 15th from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
Ratner says young adults who are attending college can also sign up, but it’s not just for college-age men and women. “There might be other young adults, particularly at community colleges which may have adult learners and adjunct faculty,” he says.
While many young people don’t often think about having health care coverage, Ratner says maybe they should. “I’m sure everybody’s got a friend who may have gotten ill who didn’t know they were going to get ill; or have an accident playing sports, or some other way, that can change their outlook, change their finances. So it’s always good to be prepared,” he says.
Ratner now is a good time to sign up. “I know people have seen the headlines about the rate increases. And they’re real, about 25%,” says Ratner. “We’ve run the numbers and there’s some people whose out-of-pocket costs are no different for 2017 then they were in 2016 because the tax credit that will help them pay for it will go up.”
During the 2016 Presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act which allows for the creation of the Maryland Health Connection. But Ratner says apply for it while the law is still on the books. “We don’t know the time frame for changes that are going to take place. But the coverage is available and the financial assistance is available,” he says.
The deadline to apply is January 31st. But citizens who want their coverage to begin on January 1st, 2017 should apply by December 15th, 2016.
By Kevin McManus