Affordable Care Act Resources for Monroe County Residents

[image:16458,right]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec. 9, 2013

For more information, please contact:

Nancy Woolery, Health Projects Manager, City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department, 349.3851, wooleryn@bloomington.in.gov

Affordable Care Act Resources for Monroe County Residents

Bloomington, Ind. - The Affordable Care Act is the new health insurance law which was signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010. This law allows all Americans to make health insurance choices that work for them, guarantees access to care for our most vulnerable and provides new ways to bring down costs and improve quality of care. This law gives consumers stronger rights and protections such as ending the insurance companies' power to cap the amount of care a person can receive in a lifetime, keeping insurance companies from canceling health care coverage when someone gets sick, stopping insurance companies from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, barring insurance companies' power to increase insurance rates without justification, ending discrimination against adults with pre-existing conditions, restricting insurance companies from charging women more than men and overcharging those who need care the most and allowing parents to keep children on their insurance plans until they reach age 26. Other benefits of this law include giving tax credits to small business owners so they can afford to offer quality health care to employees, giving hard-working Americans tax credits so they can afford insurance and requiring insurers to cover a number of preventative health services.

The Health Insurance Marketplace is a website where people can enroll in health insurance plans. To enroll in the Indiana Health Insurance Marketplace, go to [www.healthcare.gov]. or call the toll free number at 800.318.2596. Other federal resources can be found at [www.kff.org].

There are also local resources you can access if you need help or do not have access to a computer. In Monroe County, there are Certified Indiana Navigators who can help you with this process. IU Health Bloomington Navigators can be contacted at [www.iuhealth.org/individual-solutions/] or 800.313.1328. The City of Bloomington's Navigator, Nancy Woolery, can be reached at 349.3851 or wooleryn@bloomington.in.gov.

The Monroe County Public Library has computers for use, and their staff can assist you with accessing the healthcare.gov website. For more information, visit the library's website at [www.mcpl.info] or call 349.3050.

For information about local health insurance events sponsored by the Affordable Care Act Volunteers of Monroe County, Inc., please contact info@acavmc.org or visit [www.acavmc.org].

###