Officials encouraging people to take advantage of Affordable Care Act before Friday

ALBANY — Open enrollment for insurance plans offered through the Affordable Care Act ends Friday, prompting officials to urgently encourage those who still need to sign up to do so.

Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital partnered with InsureGA and Albany Area Primary Health Care for an enrollment event Saturday at Phoebe East. Trained navigators and private insurance agents met with 64 people and successfully enrolled 23 of them in ACA policies.

Officials said many of those new enrollees were surprised by the affordability of their new policies.

“It was like a burden was lifted,” Glenda Edwards, 62, said. “One insurance agent said they didn’t do individual policies, and another lady shared with me that I would be looking at over $1,000 a month. That was mind-boggling. I don’t know how anyone could afford paying that every month.”

Edwards lost insurance coverage when her husband became unemployed in 2013. He died the following year, and she hadn’t been able to find affordable coverage since. She qualified for subsidies based on her income, so she found a policy that will cost her $64.58 a month.

Edwards’ daughter, Desiree Morefield, expressed gratitude for the enrollment event.

“I saw something about this event, and I said, ‘Mama, let’s go to that.’ It was very quick and easy. Everybody was friendly,” she said. “We signed in and just as we sat down they said, ‘We have somebody ready to help you.’ He was very nice and got information from my mom and was helping her understand stuff. He showed her the different plans she qualified for and helped her with the one that she could afford.”

Edwards said she is pleased she will no longer have to pay a penalty to the IRS for not having insurance. She’s also relieved to have insurance coverage again.

“The first and second year weren’t too bad,” Edwards said. “But last year, it took me a couple of months to pay the IRS because I couldn’t afford it all up front.”

“I really don’t have to go to the doctor a lot, so I’m blessed in that aspect. I try to keep up with going once a year, but I haven’t always been able to do that. I have gotten free mammograms, but I’ve had to pay out of pocket for other things. I knew I desperately needed insurance with cataract surgery I’m facing soon.”

This year, the federal government cut the enrollment period in half. Blue Cross Blue Shield is no longer offering individual ACA policies in many south Georgia counties, and Ambetter has since stepped in to provide coverage in those areas.

To qualify for a policy, individuals must have a minimum estimated income of $12,060. Officials said a single person making up to $48,000 or a family of six with a household income of up to $131,000 may still qualify for reduced premiums.

Edwards encourages others in need of insurance to take the time to sign up before the deadline, and she is excited that her new policy will take effect on Jan. 1.

“I’m looking forward to getting my card in the mail,” she said.

Individuals can sign up for coverage at www.healthcare.gov. Assistance can be provided through the non-profit InsureGA by calling (866) 988-8246 or visiting www.insurega.org.

Jennifer Parks