Twenty-four-year-old Selene Cruz of Gering, NE recently lost access to Medicaid coverage because her income rose when she began working two jobs to better provide for her children.
At the time, she had a prescription refill coming up. Selene has severe fibromyalgia, and her medication would cost her more than $800 each month without insurance. On top of that, she would have also had pay $400 to visit her doctor, who is an internal medicine specialist. For the upcoming month, Selene would have had to come up with at least $1,200 out of pocket.
After adding up these potential expenses, she finally took her family’s advice and made an appointment to work with a Certified Application Counselor to see what her insurance options were through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
“I only came in to get them off my back,” she says. But now she could not be more grateful she did.
After working with a Certified Application Counselor at Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska Health Center, Selene discovered that she could get the coverage she needed for just $26 per month after tax credits. Her deductible is just $200, and her out-of-pocket maximum for the year is $450. She was also relieved to find out that her coverage would begin immediately. Since she had fallen out of the qualifications for Medicaid, she would not have to wait until the next month to have insurance.
“I am beyond thrilled and relieved that I do not have to choose between paying my bills and paying for my medication next month. I can do both!” she said. “Most people do not realize the importance of having insurance, but I do. With my condition it is crucial that I have insurance so I can be around for my kids.”
The deadline to enroll for coverage is Monday, March 31st. Visit HealthCare.gov to get covered.
In-person assistance is also available through Community Action Agencies or Federally Qualified Health Centers. You can find a location near you by visiting the following links:
Community Action of Nebraska
Federally Qualified Health Centers