Blog Post

The following post was written by Amy Lynn Smith and was originally posted on Eclectablog

The clock is ticking on 2015 open enrollment for health insurance. With the February 15th deadline approaching fast, the time to act is now if you’re not already covered. But getting health insurance is only the beginning. Then you have to put your benefits to good use.

Working America has got your back. The Working America Health Care program is designed to provide all the support you need before, during and after the process of buying insurance. Plus, when you enroll through the program, you’ll be eligible for a wide variety of additional benefits not available anywhere else — at no extra cost.

According to Tony Cheng, assistant director of Working America, the goal of the program is not only to help people sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but to make sure they have a great experience with whatever plan they sign up for.

We’re going at the intent of the law, which isn’t just helping people sign up but helping people lead healthier lives.

We want to be there to help people understand what health care reform really means, helping them sign up for whichever insurance plan meets their needs, and helping them use their benefits after they sign up. We’ll make sure they always have someone on their side.

Working America Health Care is a joint partnership between Working America, the community affiliate of the AFL-CIO, and Union Plus, which was created by the AFL-CIO to develop consumer benefits, discounts, and services for more than 13 million current and retired union members.

You do NOT have to be the member of any union to take advantage of Working America Health Care, but you’ll automatically become a Working America member if you sign up for coverage through the program.

Through Working America Health Care, consumers are guided through the insurance shopping process by a licensed professional with GoHealth, one of the country’s largest online brokers.

“The reason they’re so good is that they aren’t working on commission, so there’s no pressure to sign up for a particular plan,” says Roland Leggett, Michigan program director for Working America. “They’re only there to make sure you get the best plan for you and your family. It empowers people who need insurance.”

Leggett says it only takes about 30 minutes to go through the enrollment process, although you can take time to weigh your options before completing your enrollment. Every step of the way, you’ll have expert guidance to help you navigate the sometimes confusing process of buying health insurance.

“We want to help people understand what the ACA means, what to look for when they sign up — how to keep their doctor if they want to, or the additional costs involved in each plan, such as co-pays and deductibles,” says Cheng. “We want to help folks understand the big picture.”

Once enrollment is complete, Working America provides access to an independent, personal health care advocate who can help you coordinate your care, resolve claims and answer questions about coverage.

Leggett explains:

Especially if you’ve never had insurance before, you may need help navigating the system. Your health advocate can answer questions about coverage and claims, and help you negotiate medical bills. There’s even a union nurse available by phone to help you decide what kind of care you need if you’re sick.

Working America Health Care also provides vision and dental discounts, which are a great resource if you don’t purchase vision or dental coverage — but the discounts apply even if you do. These discounts can save you up to 60 percent on dental care and up to 35 percent on vision exams and glasses.

What’s more, through Union Plus you’ll be eligible for a wide range of other discounts on everything from health club memberships to mortgage assistance, and much more.

You’ll also become part of the Working America family, which connects you to the work they’re doing to lift up the middle class through efforts such as raising the minimum wage, funding education and holding politicians accountable. As Leggett says, “We’re empowering folks to be part of the political process.”

Right now, Working America Health Care has an on-the-ground presence in 17 cities, including Detroit, where it goes out into communities through a variety of events and partnerships, reaching out to union members, small businesses and individuals. Assistance is also available by phone or online nationwide.

After open enrollment concludes on February 15th, Working America Health Care will continue assisting people who are eligible for a special enrollment period due to a life change such as getting married or changing jobs.

“We can help people see if choosing a plan through the ACA might make more sense than using COBRA coverage to address a gap in coverage,” says Cheng. “And we’re talking all the time to early retirees who aren’t yet eligible for Medicare, and young people when they turn 26 and are no longer eligible for coverage on their parents’ plan.”

Both Cheng and Leggett urge anyone who still needs to enroll in coverage to do it now. Rather than waiting until the last minute, give yourself plenty of time to make the best decision for yourself and your family, says Cheng.

Our goal is first to make sure people know what’s available, and then to make sure they know how to use their health care after they sign up.

But we also want to make sure we’re moving forward in terms of health reform. Health care is a basic right and it’s under attack. If we don’t use it we lose it. We want to make sure people understand what’s at stake and are signing up.

Get started with Working America Health Care today! Call 855-698-2479 or visit the Working America Health Care website. 

Follow Amy Lynn on Twitter at @alswrites