Being healthy is important to everyone. One of the ways to stay healthy is to visit your doctor regularly, but without health insurance, visiting the doctor is difficult. That’s why it is so important for our community to understand all of the options available.
Health Insurance is Important
There are many benefits to having health insurance coverage. When you have health insurance, you can:
- Improve your health and live longer.
- Get medical care when you need it.
- Have consistent providers that you trust. Protect yourself from big financial problems related to medical bills.
- Protect the health and finances of your family.
Health Insurance is Affordable
In Colorado, there are credits and other discount programs the can help lower the amount you pay for health insurance each month. Most people in Colorado qualify for some type of cost help.
Health Insurance is Required
Everyone is required to have health insurance, and there are penalties that you must pay each year if you do not have health insurance. Sometimes the penalty is larger than what you would pay for health insurance, so it’s important to understand your options. It’s far better to invest in the health of you and your family, than to pay a penalty.
Some Other Facts about the Healthcare Law
- You cannot be refused health insurance because you are too sick or have a “pre-existing condition.”
- There is an open enrollment period every year. This sets deadlines for when you must find and buy health coverage. You can start buying health insurance on November 1, 2015 and must be signed up by the end of January to comply with the law.
- You can sign up for Medicaid or Child Health Plan Plus any time during the year.
- There are also qualifying life events that may make you eligible to enroll outside of open enrollment. Qualifying events are things like:
- You lost health coverage (including Medicaid and CHP+)
- You got married
- You had a baby or adopted a child
- You moved to Colorado
- Your health insurance from your employer became too expensive for you
- You became a citizen or got legal immigration status
There is Help for to You!
There are a lot of Assistance Sites in Denver that can help you understand your options for FREE. The following organizations serve the Asian Community:
CAHEP (The Colorado Alliance for Health Equity and Practice)
303-954-0058
cahep-denver.org
Asian Pacific Development Center
303-923-2920
Apdc.org
