Window to buy health insurance on federal marketplace closes Sunday - The Dallas Morning News

Time is running out for individuals and families to buy or renew their health insurance on the federal marketplace, where most Texans eligible for subsidies will find plans as low as $10 per month.

The deadline to register is Sunday, and Dallas County officials are encouraging residents not to wait until the last minute and to review all of their options because costs and coverage fluctuate each year and a less expensive rate may be available for a higher quality plan.

“Now is the time to go on there and make your selection," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, who leads a coalition of nonprofits, health care providers and insurance companies that works to enroll people.

Five million Texans, or about 18% of the state’s population is uninsured. The Lone Star State leads the nation with the highest rate of uninsured people. And the outlook is getting worse, not better.

According to the recent U.S. Census data, about 186,000 Texans became uninsured between 2017 and 2018. What’s more, Dallas and Tarrant counties are in the top five U.S. counties for uninsured children.

There is little direct support available for Dallas residents who are unfamiliar with the process of signing up for coverage. Federal funding for so-called “navigators,” or health professionals who help individuals enroll was slashed by the Trump administration.

Locally, Dallas County lost nearly $2 million in federal money to help individuals sign up.

“We're under constant attack -- the citizens who are seeking insurance -- from a relentless Republican Party that wants to do away with the (Affordable Care Act),” Jenkins, a Democrat, said. “And we're doing all we can to keep that from happening.”

But the county has not made up the difference. Instead, Jenkins’ coalition, Enroll North Texas, is relying entirely on volunteers to spread the word and assist individuals in registering.

The coalition has and will continue to host sign-up events through Saturday at locations that include the East Plano Islamic Center and Prism Health NorthTexas in Oak Cliff. To find a location near you, go to https://bit.ly/34aHtq1.

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Given the events are run by volunteers, not every corner of Dallas County has the same access to help. For example, none of the events highlighted by Jenkins’ office are taking place in the five most unhealthy Dallas zip codes identified by the recent community health needs assessment survey.

Those zip codes are home to mostly people of color who are living in poverty. According to Joshua Peck, co-founder of Get America Covered, a nonprofit that helps people find health insurance, those individuals are also likely to be uninsured even though they likely would qualify for a low cost plan.

Peck said officials in Dallas and elsewhere need to work especially hard to make sure individuals living in high poverty areas know when the deadline is and that plans are actually affordable.

"If the state cares enough about its citizens, it should be helping to create awareness about the options that are available,” he said.

According to his group’s research, the average Texan has 45 plans to choose from, twice as many as last year. Nearly 90 percent of Texans who will sign up for coverage on the healthcare.gov website will qualify for financial help. And three out of every four will be able to find a plan with a monthly premium of $10 or less.

Jenkins said outreach is being done in and near those areas, even if it’s not done by his coalition. He pointed to an event hosted by Be Covered Texas, a statewide initiative to spread information about the Affordable Care Act funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield, that signed up about 2,000 people at the Fireside Recreation Center in southeast Dallas.

Dallasites may also find help signing up or renewing at Parkland Hospital’s main campus in the Medical District between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.

There is no direct support for enrollment at any of the hospital’s regional health centers. A spokeswoman for Parkland also pointed to a cut in federal funding for the reason why there is not help at its regional centers.

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Window to buy health insurance on federal marketplace closes Sunday - The Dallas Morning News
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