United States Senators, Members of Congress and Local Elected Officials Remind Americans to Sign Up for Coverage Through the ACA Ahead of December 15 Deadline
As open enrollment draws to a close in most states, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Tina Smith (D-MN), Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan (D-MN), U.S. Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-23), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Annie Kuster (D-NH-02), Val Demings (D-FL-10), Cindy Axne (D-IA-03) and U.S. Representative-elect Deborah Ross (D-NC-02) along with other elected officials and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care for events nationwide. These national and local leaders met virtually to discuss the HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide Americans with resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act.
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in California v. Texas the Trump-Republican lawsuit that, if successful, would overturn the entire ACA, rip health care away from over 20 million Americans and end its protections for 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions — all during the worst public health crisis in a century. Even as the ACA continues to face constant threats from the GOP, the marketplaces remain resilient, with more than 11 million people having signed up last year and even more affordable coverage options to choose from this year.
ALASKA
Thursday, December 10, 2020: Anchorage Assemblymembers, United Way and Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center Discuss the Current Open Enrollment Period to Get Alaskans Covered Through the Affordable Care Act
Ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, Anchorage Assemblymembers, United Way and Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center joined Protect Our Care Alaska for a virtual roundtable to discuss the current HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide Alaskans with the resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Assemblymember Meg Zaletel and Suzanne LaFrance, Jane Straight of the United Way of Anchorage, and Samantha Longacre of the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center all spoke to the critical importance of getting coverage before it’s too late. You can view a recording of the event here.
ARIZONA
Thursday, December 10, 2020: Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Health Care Advocates and Experts Discuss the Current Open Enrollment Period to Get Arizonans Covered
Ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Arizona father and dedicated health care advocate Steve Gomez, and lead navigator with the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers Allen Gjersvig joined Protect Our Care Arizona for a virtual press conference to discuss the current HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide Arizonans with the resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act. You can view a recording of the event here.
COLORADO
Thursday, December 10, 2020: Connect for Health Colorado and Health Care Advocates Discuss the Current Open Enrollment Period to Get Coloradans Covered Through the Affordable Care Act
To celebrate #GetCovered day ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, health care advocates and health insurance and policy experts joined Colorado Protect Our Care for a digital discussion of the the current ConnectForHealthCO.com Open Enrollment period and to provide Coloradans with the resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act. State Representative and ER nurse Kyle Mullica, co-chair of Health Care Voters Laura Packard, Connect for Health Colorado representative Saphia Elfituri, Strategic Engagement Director for Colorado Consumer Health Initiative Adam Fox, and Aaron Silverstein highlighted the importance of getting enrolled in coverage ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline. You can view a recording of the event here.
FLORIDA
Thursday, December 10, 2020: U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Health Care Advocate Discuss the Current Open Enrollment Period to Get Floridians Covered Through the Affordable Care Act
Ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-23) and a Broward County health care advocate, Ryann Greenberg, joined Protect Our Care Florida for a virtual press event to discuss the current HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide Floridians with resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act when Floridians need it the most. You can view a recording of the event here.
Coverage:
NBC 6 Miami: Segment on Open-Enrollment Event with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
WLRN / WFSU / WMFE: Radio Report on Open Enrollment w/ Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Playing on NPR Affiliates Across Florida, Including Miami, Orlando and Tallahassee
Friday, December 11, 2020: U.S. Rep. Val Demings and Health Care Advocates Discuss the Current Open Enrollment Period to Get Floridians Covered Through the Affordable Care Act
Ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, U.S. Rep. Val Demings (D-FL-10) and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care Florida for a virtual press event to discuss the current HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide Floridians with resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act when Floridians need it the most. Rep. Demings was joined by Primary Care Access Network ACA Marketplace Director Anne Packham and Dr. Mildred Garcia. You can view a recording of the event here.
GEORGIA
Friday, December 11, 2020: U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson and Health Care Advocates Encourage Georgians to Sign Up for Coverage Ahead of Open Enrollment Deadline on December 15
Ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA-04) and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care Georgia for a Virtual Press Conference to discuss the current HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide Georgians with resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act when Georgians need it the most. Congressman Johnson was joined by Georgians for a Healthy Future Executive Director Laura Colbert, Georgia Primary Care Association navigator Roberto Gutierrez, and two-time cancer survivor Cindy Pursley. You can view a recording of the event here.
IOWA
Friday, December 11, 2020: State Sen. Joe Bolkcom and Health Care Advocates Encourage Iowans to Sign Up for Coverage Ahead of Open Enrollment Deadline on Dec. 15
Ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, health care advocates will join Progress Iowa and Protect Our Care for a press call to discuss the current HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide Iowans with resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act when Iowans need it the most. State Senator Joe Bolkcom, Health Care advocate Tammy Gertsen, who gets her health insurance through the ACA marketplace, and Jason Snell, who was covered through Medicaid Expansion when he contracted COVID-19 earlier this year. Listen to a recording of the call here.
MAINE
Friday, December 11, 2020: Maine Senate President Troy Jackson and Health Care Advocates Discuss the Current Open Enrollment Period to Get Mainers Covered Through the Affordable Care Act
Ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, Senate President Troy Jackson and Consumers for Affordable Health Care Director Ann Woloson joined Protect Our Care Maine for a press call to discuss the current HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide Mainers with the resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Speakers emphasized this as a critical need, especially as job losses mount and threaten employer-based coverage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen to a recording of the call here.
MICHIGAN
Tuesday, December 8, 2020: Protect Our Care and Health Care Advocates Discuss Open Enrollment, Getting Covered Through the Affordable Care Act
Ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, Dr. Farhan Bhatti, a board-certified family physician and CEO of Care Free Medical, and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care Michigan for a virtual press conference to discuss the current HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide Michiganders with the resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act. They were joined by Amber Bellazaire, a policy analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, and Sarah Stark, a patient advocate. You can view a recording of the event here.
Coverage:
Fox 17: WATCH: Health Care Advocates Encourage Michiganders to Sign Up for Affordable Care Act by Dec. 15
MINNESOTA
Tuesday, December 8, 2020: U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, MNsure CEO Nate Clark, and Health Care Advocates Encourage Minnesotans to Sign Up for Health Coverage
Ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, and MNsure CEO Nate Clark joined Protect Our Care Minnesota for a virtual press event to discuss the current HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide Minnesotans with the resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act. They were joined by Megan Halena, the program director at Generations Health Initiatives in Duluth, Denise Robertson, the Navigator Program Director for Health Access MN, and Jessica Intermill, a Minnesotan who relies on the ACA for coverage after she developed a pre-existing condition. You can view a recording of the event here.
Coverage:
KTOE: MNsure Officials Reminding Minnesotans About Upcoming Enrollment Deadline
KEYC: Sen. Tina Smith Urges MNsure Enrollment
Duluth News Tribune: Editorial: This Is No Time to Be Without Health Insurance
MONTANA
Sunday, December 13, 2020: Missoulian Op-Ed: As COVID-19 Cases Surge, Open Enrollment Period More Important Than Ever
On Sunday, Montana placed an Op-Ed in the Missoulian regarding the importance of Montanans to sign up for health insurance during the Open Enrollment period. Read the op-ed here.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Friday, December 4, 2020: U.S. Senators Shaheen and Hassan Join Health Care Advocates to Urge Granite Staters to Sign Up for Coverage Ahead of Open Enrollment Deadline on December 15th
Ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan called on Granite Staters to get covered by checking out affordable, comprehensive plans offered in the ACA 2021 Open Enrollment. They pointed to HealthCare.gov as a place where Granite Staters can find the resources they need to access health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act between now and December 15th. The Senators were joined by health care advocates Lucy C. Hodder, Director, Health Law and Policy, UNH School of Law, Dr. Patrick Ho, Chief Resident in Psychiatry at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and President of the New Hampshire Psychiatric Society, Zandra Rice-Hawkins from Granite State Progress Education Fund, Jeremy Smith from NH Navigator, and Covering NH, a project of Granite State Progress Education Fund and the NH Health Care Coalition, in collaboration with Protect Our Care NH. You can view a recording of the event here.
Coverage:
Union Leader: Obamacare Is Still Working for New Hampshire
Concord Monitor: Enrollment Period for Health Insurance Ends Tuesday
Monday, December 14, 2020: U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster and Health Care Advocates Discuss the Addiction Crisis and Urge Granite Staters to Sign Up for Coverage Ahead of Open Enrollment Deadline on December 15th
Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (D-NH-02) called on Granite Staters to check out comprehensive healthcare plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) before Open Enrollment ends at midnight on Tuesday, December 15th. Rep. Kuster joined a roundtable discussion today on the state of New Hampshire’s ongoing addiction crisis, and how the ACA has played a crucial role. Speakers Jake Berry, Vice President of Policy at New Futures, Jonathan Brown from Harbor Care in Nashua, Dr. Seddon Savage of Dartmouth Hitchcock, and Mary Drew, Founder & CEO of Reality Check discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the shape of substance use treatment and recovery in New Hampshire in 2020 with health insurance for thousands of Granite Staters battling substance use disorder. Watch the recording of the event here.
NORTH CAROLINA
Thursday, December 10, 2020: North Carolina DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen, U.S. Rep-Elect Deborah Ross, Senator Terry van Duyn, and Representative Graig Meyer Discuss the Current Open Enrollment Period to Get North Carolinians Covered Through the Affordable Care Act
Ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen, U.S. Rep-Elect Deborah Ross (D-NC-02), Senator Terry van Duyn, and Representative Graig Meyer joined Protect Our Care North Carolina for a virtual press conference to discuss the current HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide North Carolinians with the resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Speakers also called out Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans for failing to pass comprehensive legislation for COVID-19 relief since March, as the economic downturn puts employer based health coverage at risk. You can view a recording of the event here.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Monday, December 14, 2020: State Rep. JA Moore, Health Care Advocates Discuss the Current Open Enrollment Period to Get South Carolinians Covered Through the Affordable Care Act
State Rep. JA Moore and Tiffany James joined Protect Our Care South Carolina for a virtual roundtable to discuss the current HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide South Carolinians with the resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Speakers also blasted Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, for failing to pass comprehensive legislation for COVID-19 relief since March, as the economic downturn puts employer-based health coverage at risk. Speakers urged Congress to provide relief for South Carolinians immediately. You can watch the event here.
WISCONSIN
Monday, December 7, 2020: U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, Commissioner of Insurance Afable, and Health Care Advocates Encourage Wisconsinites to Sign Up for Coverage Ahead of Open Enrollment Deadline on December 15th
Ahead of the Open Enrollment deadline, US Senator Tammy Baldwin and Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance Mark Afable joined Protect Our Care Wisconsin for a virtual press conference to discuss the current HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment period and to provide Wisconsinites with the resources they need to get health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act. They were joined by Vik Verma, a Merrill resident who depended on his ACA insurance after he was seriously injured in a car accident, and Lillian Cheesman, a Milwaukee-based attorney who relies on the marketplace to get insurance for her family and run a small business. You can view a recording of the event here.
Coverage:
Wisconsin Examiner: Deadline Approaches to Sign Up for Individual Health Insurance
Up North News: Enrollment Ends Dec. 15 for Insurance Coverage Through Affordable Care Act
Channel 3000: ACA Open Enrollment Runs Through Dec. 15
WisPolitics: U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin Says She Hopes Federal Lawmakers Can Pass A Funding Bill Before Government Funding Expires at the End of the Week