Get Ready: A New Year’s Guide to Caring for Your Health

As we enter a time of change in America, it’s important to be sure we are doing all we can to care for our health and the health of our loved ones. 

Below are some important tools to help you plan for your and your family’s medical needs for the year ahead. 

See what checkups and vaccinations you need: 

The new year is an important time to make sure you’ve got everything in place for your health and the health of your family. Regular checkups, screenings, and vaccinations can all play an important role in keeping you healthy and strong for the times ahead. 

The “MyHealthfinder” tool below from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can help suggest which screening tests and vaccines you or your loved ones need to stay healthy. 

You can also learn more at the following links: 

• Guides on healthy living – including mental health, nutrition, physical activity, safety, and sexual health.
• How to get the Preventive Health Care you need – tips from HHS
• Recommended vaccines for children
• Recommended vaccines for working-age adults and seniors
• Tips on healthy living for women – broken out by age group, from HHS

Health Insurance

In today’s health care system, it’s very hard to get the care you need without proper health insurance. 

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as “Obamacare,” there are many options for affordable health insurance. 

If you don’t have health insurance, or have insurance but want to see if you qualify for more affordable options, you have to act soon. Families looking to add or switch their coverage through the ACA must apply during “open enrollment.” 

• November 1, 2024: Open Enrollment starts.
• January 15, 2025: Open Enrollment ends. Last day to enroll for coverage for 2025

If you already have insurance through the ACA, you do not have to do anything. If you don’t update your application or change plans between November 1 and December 15, you’ll be automatically re-enrolled in the same plan (or a similar one) for next year.

After open enrollment ends, you may still apply for health insurance through the ACA if you have a “qualifying event.” Qualifying events include life changes like getting married or having a baby, loss of health insurance that you had before, or a loss of income that makes you eligible for government help. 

Click the button below to go the Healthcare.gov website 

You can also learn more at the following links: 

• Answers to common questions about the Affordable Care Act
• Details on applying for ACA coverage outside of the open enrollment period
• Can I get help from the government even if my job offers a health care plan? 
• Medicaid and CHIP coverage – Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provide free or low-cost health coverage to some low-income people, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

The fight ahead

Many of the programs that help working families could face changes or even total shutdown in the months ahead. Working America will be joining our allies in fighting for a fair economy and a government that gives working families what they deserve. Our strength comes from you – our members. Only by acting together can we fight back against the greedy corporations and their friends. 

We know that these are uncertain times, and many of us are concerned about the future. Go to workingamerica.org/gethelp for more guides and tips on navigating the economy and preparing for the unknown.