Summary:
Nearly 9 in 10 rural Marketplace consumers will be able to get tax credits to help pay for a plan that works for them and their families.
Like millions of Americans, Secretary Burwell and I are proud to call rural America home. As is the case in so many small towns, we both grew up with a strong sense of community – a sense that the way to accomplish almost anything was to do it together. There was clear recognition that every person, every business, and every sector had a shared commitment to the well-being of the community and had something to contribute.
These values led me to my first job in high school – working as a nurse’s assistant in a small rural hospital in my hometown of Devils Lake, North Dakota. Most of the people I cared for were people I knew and they were all people I cared about. These are the same values that have driven rural leaders across America to help their communities find affordable, quality health coverage.
Good health coverage is especially important for rural communities. As a nurse, I know that rural Americans face higher rates of serious chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease. For too long, lack of access to coverage stood as an enormous barrier between rural Americans and care needed to prevent and manage these and other illnesses. But thanks to the Affordable Care Act and the Health Insurance Marketplace, we’ve begun writing a new chapter for rural America.
Together with rural communities and local stakeholders, we’ve helped more than 2.7 million rural Americans find health coverage. And, I’m so proud to say that the share of rural Americans who are uninsured has dropped by nearly 40 percent.
This is incredible progress that helps lift up rural families and rural communities. Tomorrow, on National Rural Health Day, we acknowledge and honor all of the work being done in rural America to improve the health and lives of its citizens.
But we also focus on doing even more – because there are still 2.6 million uninsured adults living in rural America who may be eligible for coverage through the Marketplace.
That’s why, during Rural Health Week of Action, we’re working with partners to spread the word that the Marketplace is open for business! From now until January 31, Americans in every state can visit Healthcare.gov or their state Marketplace to shop for affordable, quality health coverage.
Here are a few facts every American who lives in a rural community should know about Open Enrollment.
Rural Americans have affordable coverage options on the Marketplace.
Nearly 9 in 10 rural Marketplace consumers will be able to get tax credits to help pay for a plan that works for them and their families. Even people who didn’t qualify for tax credits last year may qualify this year, especially if their income changed or if they live in places where premiums have risen.
As a result, 75 percent of rural Marketplace consumers will be able to find health coverage for less than $100 per month, after tax credits.
You and your family might even be eligible for Medicaid.
Rural Americans who already have coverage through the Marketplace might save money by coming back to shop during Open Enrollment.
Open Enrollment gives you a chance to see if you can find a better plan, or a lower monthly premium. That’s why we’re encouraging every returning consumer to shop around. In fact, returning rural customers can save an average of $47 per month, or $564 a year, by coming back to the Marketplace and purchasing the lowest premium plan in their metal level.
It’s easy to find and enroll in a plan.
HealthCare.gov has tools to help people easily compare plans based on their preferred providers and prescription drugs. You can also compare plans by how much you think you’d spend over the course of a year, based on you and your family’s personal health care needs.
We’ve also made it smoother and more intuitive to shop on a phone or tablet. So if you’re away from your computer, you can still easily shop for coverage.
And once you submit an application on HealthCare.gov, you’ll immediately see the type of coverage you qualify for and how much financial help you can get.
You can get help in-person or over the phone.
If you have any questions, you have a place to turn. The Marketplace Call Center (1-800-318-2596) is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And you can also find in-person assistance right in your area by visiting LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov.
During this Rural Health Week of Action, we’re trying to make sure that Americans living in rural communities know that affordable, quality health coverage is available on HealthCare.gov until the end of January. And we’re helping them find the right plan at the right price.
But like I learned growing up in North Dakota, success is a team effort. So we’re counting on you to help – because the health of our neighbors and friends matters. Share this post on your social media, and tell your friends and family that coverage is available and affordable on HealthCare.gov!