In the United States, where the median income is $50,054, having no insurance or having insurance that does not cover essential health care visits means that any illness can create financial hardship. In 2007, 62.1% of bankruptcies were due to the burden of medical bills. Health insurance coverage is very important in the Muslim community as many Muslims don’t have employer provided health insurance, in fact: 20% are self-employed, 29% are under-employed and 17% are unemployed.
In order to address this problem, American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP) is working with state and federal partners across the country to make sure Muslims are aware of and connected to health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act.
As part of this effort, AMHP is spreading the word in the Muslim community about the Health Insurance Marketplace.
What is the Health Insurance Marketplace?
The Health Insurance Marketplace is a one-stop shop for a variety of healthcare care plans that cover essential health benefits, pre-existing conditions, and more.
To find the latest, most accurate, information about the Marketplace visit www.HealthCare.gov
At this website, you can learn how the Marketplace works, who can apply for insurance, how to get insurance, how to lower your costs, and more. When you are ready to apply and enroll in a health plan, HealthCare.gov is the place for that, too!
No matter where you live, you may buy insurance from private health plans that cover a comprehensive set of benefits, including doctor visits, hospital stays, preventive care, and prescriptions. And plans in the Marketplace must treat you fairly; they can’t deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition. With a single application, you also will find out if you qualify for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or savings you can use right away to lower your health insurance premiums.
The First Open Enrollment period ends March 31, 2014.
The Second Open Enrollment is from October 15 – December 7.
If you have questions about what the Health Insurance Marketplace offers or how to apply, help is available. You can visit HealthCare.gov and click on the Help link in the upper right of the screen or use the online web chat on the website; or call the Marketplace Call Center toll-free at 1-800-318-2596, to speak with a trained customer service representative. Help is available in many different languages.
TTY users should call 1-855-889-4325.
UPDATES:
