NYC Kicks Off Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment Period And Encourages All To “Get Covered”

The Open Enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has begun, meaning uninsured New Yorkers can sign up for health insurance coverage through the New York State of Health Marketplace.

During Open Enrollment, GetCoveredNYC, the City’s health insurance outreach, and enrollment program, will expand its year-round citywide outreach to contact over 100,000 uninsured New Yorkers and provide enrollees with free one-on-one assistance in over 12 languages.

The Open Enrollment Period runs from November 1, 2018, through January 31, 2019. New Yorkers who are new to the Marketplace can enroll now, and people with existing coverage can renew their health plans starting November 16. Consumers must enroll or renew by December 15, 2018, for coverage effective January 1, 2019. New Yorkers who previously enrolled through the Marketplace must renew their health insurance each year to maintain coverage.

For Open Enrollment, GetCoveredNYC has launched a citywide multilingual advertising campaign promoting health insurance and the free enrollment services available to New Yorkers. In addition, GetCoveredNYC is expanding its neighborhood enrollment events with community-based organizations and local elected officials, and several City health centers will offer extended hours during Open Enrollment. New Yorkers can access free in-person enrollment assistance by calling 311, texting CoveredNYC (SeguroNYC en Español) to 877877, or visiting nyc.gov/GetCoveredNYC.

“Health insurance empowers New Yorkers to access healthcare services to manage their health and well-being,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Herminia Palacio. “I thank the City’s GetCoveredNYC team for continuing to play a critical role in our communities to help individuals get covered for health insurance.”

“Now is the time for all New Yorkers to protect themselves and enroll in a quality health insurance plan, including one of the many available low- and no-cost options,” said Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit Acting Director Eric Rotondi. “I am thankful to all of GetCoveredNYC’s partners, including countless City agencies, community organizations, and elected officials who work year-round to enroll all New Yorkers in health insurance, and who are helping us increase our outreach during this Open Enrollment Period.”

“If health insurance is not offered through work, there are many low- or no-cost options that you may be eligible for,” said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “Call 311 to set up an appointment for free, in-person help with choosing a plan.”

“If your health or income has changed since last year, you may want to take advantage of Open Enrollment to shop online or call 311 to figure out which health plan fits your current needs,” said Mitchell Katz, MD, president and chief executive officer of NYC Health + Hospitals. “New Yorkers are fortunate to have a range of high-quality health plan choices, including our own MetroPlus.”

You can also call 311 or text CoveredNYC (SeguroNYC en Español) to 877877 to be connected to a GetCoveredNYC Specialist and receive free enrollment assistance here.

Many New Yorkers may qualify for low- or no-cost health insurance through the Marketplace. Those whose earnings exceed Medicaid limits may be eligible for the Essential Plan, which also offers a comprehensive coverage package for either a $20 monthly premium or no cost, depending on income. Those earning more may be eligible for Qualified Health Plan coverage, offered by MetroPlus and others, with public subsidies on a sliding scale reflecting income. All the plans cover inpatient and outpatient care, physician services, diagnostic services, mental health care and prescription drugs.

Created by Mayor de Blasio in 2016, GetCoveredNYC is a citywide outreach initiative that helps all New Yorkers enroll in health insurance and access primary and preventive care. The initiative is a partnership between the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit, NYC Health + Hospitals, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Human Resources Administration and MetroPlus Health Plan. In 2017, GetCoveredNYC assisted over 80,000 New Yorkers in enrolling in health insurance.