DALLAS – Open enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace began on Oct. 1, 2013 and runs through March 31, 2014. On Thursday, Jan. 30 Dallas Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Monica R. Alonzo, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, Health and Human Services Regional Director Marjorie Petty, and community leaders participating in the Enroll Dallas Initiative will meet with Spanish Media Partners to discuss the importance of residents seeking affordable healthcare. The event will begin at 11 a.m. at the West Dallas Multipurpose Center (2828 Fish Trap Rd, Dallas, Texas 75212).
The Health Insurance Marketplace, established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), allows individuals, families, and small businesses to compare plans and purchase health insurance. Through the Marketplace, patients learn if they can get lower costs based on their income, compare their coverage options side-by-side, and enroll in the plan of their choice. In addition to the Marketplace, the ACA allows for many individuals and families to receive a tax credit to help them pay insurance premiums.
Patients can apply for Marketplace coverage three ways: online, by mail, or in-person with the help of a Navigator or other qualified helper. Visit www.healthcare.gov for more information. Residents have until March 31, 2014 to sign up for health insurance through the open enrollment period.
Approximately 50 million Americans do not have health insurance and Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the country. Approximately 30% of Dallas County residents are uninsured and many will qualify for subsidies to make coverage affordable. The leaders of Dallas County and the City of Dallas believe that all citizens deserve health care through access to health insurance.
