(Salem) – Oregonians are looking for ways to protect their household budgets during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health care needs are not always something people can predict, but unexpected costs for care can cripple a budget. However, a window shopping tool allows Oregonians to see how much they can save on private health insurance coverage through the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace.
Oregonians can get quality coverage and financial savings through the Marketplace. The window shopping tool is now available at OregonHealthCare.gov/WindowShop for consumers to preview plan options and receive estimates to lower costs for 2021 to prepare for open enrollment.
Open enrollment runs from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15 and is the only time of year many people can buy private health insurance. In 2020, more than 70 percent of Oregonians who purchased individual health insurance qualified for financial help, lowering the average premium to just $142 per month.
Visiting OregonHealthCare.gov/WindowShop can help you answer these questions:
-What coverage do I qualify for?
-How much financial help can I get?
-What would my health plan cover?
-What are my next steps?
“Health insurance through the Marketplace is quality coverage that protects Oregonians from current and future health issues,” said Chiqui Flowers, Marketplace administrator. “The updated tool can help Oregonians find the true cost of coverage available to them.”
Locally, Rinehart Clinic and Tillamook County Community Health Centers have health insurance navigators available to assist you.
For TCCHC, if you need assistance, call trained health insurance assisters at: 503-842-3900 ext. 4008 (se habla Español.)
Rinehart Clinic’s Enrollment Navigator/Navagadora de Inscripción, Angelica Godinez, can help people sign up for insurance through the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace or the Oregon Health Plan. This assistance is free of charge and open to everyone. Call 1-800-368-5182, Ext. 100 for an appointment.
For 2021, Oregonians will have more options than they had in the past few years. Regence and BridgeSpan join Providence in providing statewide coverage, and all Oregonians will be able to choose from at least 15 health insurance plans.