Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The six-week enrollment period to the New Mexico health-insurance exchange for 2019 begins next week, and officials urge those who enrolled last year to update their information for possible cost savings.
Juliet Yazzie and Katrina Smith of the beWellnm.com state health-insurance exchange sat down at the Quay County Sun to talk about options for consumers during the enrollment period, which starts Nov. 1 and ends Dec. 15.
Yazzie said customers giving up-to-date information on the exchange is crucial.
“To ensure an individual gets the correct amount of premium tax credits, which is the assistance that helps pay for the premiums, they want to make sure they update their applications,” she said.
Yazzie said the tax credits, which also are called subsidies, range widely based on an applicant’s income and household size. Those credits can drop a monthly premium to as little as 95 cents for the lowest-cost Bronze plan, which usually runs $125. Those who do not enroll on the exchange are not eligible for the subsidies.
Individuals can enroll for health insurance starting Nov. 1 at beWellnm.com. Those without an internet connection can talk to a live counselor to enroll or receive other help at 833-862-3935. The line for the hearing-impaired is 855-851-2018.
In Tucumcari, people also can talk to enrollment counselors at Presbyterian Medical Services at 1302 E. Main St. and Dan C. Trigg Memorial Hospital at 301 E. Miel de Luna Ave.
Smith said there is an additional advantage to enrolling through the exchange.
“Even if they have trouble with the billing department or with the insurance company, the enrollment counselor or broker agent will work with the individual (to resolve it). And it’s free,” she said.
Premiums by the four insurance carriers on the New Mexico exchange — Blue Cross Blue Shield, Molina Healthcare, Christus Health and New Mexico Health Connections — won’t be announced until just before the enrollment period begins. However, the state’s Superintendent of Insurance, using data submitted by the carriers, estimates premiums will range from a 24.6 percent decrease to a 6.6 percent increase.
The New Mexico exchange enrolled 45,000 people last year. The total was 178 in Quay County, and about 80 percent enrolled the previous year.
About 600 people in Quay County remain uninsured for health care.
Those who miss the enrollment period won’t be able to try again until November 2019. The Internal Revenue Service imposes a penalty on those who don’t have health insurance for more than 90 days in 2018. The penalty will be $695 or 2.5 percent of a person’s income, whichever is higher. There is no penalty for not having health insurance in 2019.
Smith said an person might be tempted to pay the penalty and go uninsured. But a sudden health problem can make that an expensive proposition.
“A trip to the emergency room can run to thousands of dollars very quickly,” Smith said. “If you don’t have health insurance, you’re stuck with all of those bills out of pocket.”
Small businesses — or those with two to 50 full-time employees — also are encouraged to enroll with the exchange. Smith said some businesses may be eligible for up to a 50 percent tax credit.
“Many small business owners aren’t taking advantage of this right now,” Smith said. “I don’t know why. We understand it’s a major expense, but there’s money out there (to help lower it).”