Congressman Sanford Bishop

Representing the 2nd District of Georgia

Health Care

Get 2015 Health Coverage Now
Enroll by December 15 to get high-quality coverage that meets your needs starting January 1

GETTING HEALTH CARE COVERAGE THROUGH THE HEALTH EXCHANGE SYSTEM:

Open Enrollment is the time when you can apply for a 2015 Marketplace plan, keep your current plan, or pick a new one. Are you ready for the next Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment Period?

Here are 4 key dates you should know:

•    November 15, 2014. Open Enrollment begins. Apply for, keep, or change your coverage.

•    December 15, 2014. Enroll by the 15th if you want new coverage that begins on January 1, 2015. If your plan is changing or you want to change plans, enroll by the 15th to avoid a lapse in coverage.

•    December 31, 2014. Coverage ends for 2014 plans. Coverage for 2015 plans can start as soon as January 1st.

•    February 15, 2015. This is the last day you can apply for 2015 coverage before the end of Open Enrollment.

Open Enrollment for 2015 coverage is now open!

Apply Now

With the open enrollment season for 2015 having started, here’s a look at how the Affordable Care Act provides important patient protections and health care benefits to American families:

  • More than 8.3 million seniors have received $12 billion in Medicare prescription drugs savings since 2010. [Ways and Means, 11/12/14]

  • This year, more than two thirds (69%) of individuals selecting plans with tax credits in the federal Marketplace have net monthly premiums of $100 or less and nearly half (46%) have net monthly premiums of $50 or less. [Ways and Means, 11/12/14

  • Approximately 6 million young adults have been allowed to stay on their parents’ private insurance plans until age 26. [Ways and Means, 11/12/14]

  • Over 10 million previously uninsured adults have found coverage, cutting the uninsured rate by 26%. [HHS, 10/7/14]

  • 70% of Americans with Marketplace insurance plans feel they can now afford care if they get sick, and a majority say their premiums are easy to afford. [HHS, 10/7/14]

  • 76 million Americans with private insurance have received free preventive care services, including 30 million women and 18 million children. [HHS, 10/7/14]

  • American consumers have saved $9 billion since 2011, because the law says that insurance companies have to spend at least 80 cents of every premium dollar they receive on providing health care, not on profits or overhead expenses.  [HHS, 10/7/14]

  • Medicare Part B premiums will not go up for the second year in a row in 2015 – compared to premiums that skyrocketed by 112 percent between 2000 and 2008. [CMS, 7/28/14]

  • The life of the Medicare Trust Fund has been extended by 13 years. [CMS, 7/28/14]

  • 129 million Americans, including 17.6 million children with pre-existing conditions, cannot be discriminated against by insurers, and being a woman can no longer be considered a pre-existing condition. [HHS, 7/16/14]

  • 100 million Americans with private insurance no longer need to worry about hitting a lifetime limit on coverage – those limits could leave families facing bankruptcy when they had a medical emergency and their insurance stopped paying for their care. [HHS, 7/16/14

  • In 2013 alone, 37.2 million seniors accessed free Medicare preventative care services, including free Medicare annual wellness visits. [HHS, 7/16/14]

  • “More than three-quarters of those who had either enrolled in Medicaid or bought a private insurance plan in one of the new marketplaces” are satisfied with their new coverage, and “more than half (58%) said they were better off because of their new coverage.” [Los Angeles Times, 7/10/14]

  • Since 2010, National Health Expenditures (NHE) have grown at an average annual rate of 3.8%. This represents the lowest rate on record for any four-year period (since tracking began in 1960), and is less than half of the average annual growth rate of 9.3% over that 50+ year period. [American Hospital Association, 3/11/14]

To learn more about coverage and eligibility for tax credits to make coverage more affordable, visit www.HealthCare.gov. Americans without access to the internet or who prefer not to enroll online can get information and sign up through the Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY 1-855-889-4325). After identifying the best option, those seeking coverage have until February 15, 2015, to enroll.  However, they must sign up by December 15 in order for coverage to begin on January 1, 2015.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU MISS OPEN ENROLLMENT:

Important: If you don’t have minimum essential coverage, you must either pay a fee or have an exemption from paying the fee.

Outside open enrollment season, see if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period so you can buy a private health plan through the Marketplace.

Apply for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) — you can do this any time, all year. If you qualify you can enroll immediately.

Small businesses can apply for SHOP coverage any time, all year.

Members of federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native shareholders can enroll in Marketplace coverage any time of year. There is no limited enrollment period for these groups, and they can change plans as often as once a month.

For more information, please click here.

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More on Health Care

Oct 14, 2014 Press Release

Americus, GA – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) is proud to announce that the Administration for Community Living (ACL) / Administration on Aging (AOA) has awarded a grant of $962,620 to the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving at Georgia Southwestern State University for their project, the Specialized Supportive Services Project through the Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative.

Sep 18, 2014 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop (GA-02) supported House Joint Resolution (H. J. Res.) 124, the Continuing Resolution (CR) for Fiscal Year 2015. The legislation continues funding for all government operations through December 11, 2014. The Export Import Bank of the United States will be authorized to continue operating until June 30, 2015. Also, the bill provides $88 million in additional funding to fight the Ebola virus outbreak in Western Africa.

Sep 3, 2014 Press Release

Macon, GA – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) is proud to announce that Macon-Bibb County has received a FY14 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) award totaling $78,254 from the U.S. Department of Justice. The award will allow Macon-Bibb County to purchase law enforcement equipment as well as provide education and supervision services for the Drug Court Outreach program.

Aug 14, 2014 Press Release

COLUMBUS, GA – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) is proud to announce that the Columbus Consolidated Government of Columbus, Georgia has received a FY14 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) award totaling $91,448 from the U.S. Department of Justice. The award will allow the Columbus Consolidated Government to hire personnel, perform drug screening and testing, and support substance abuse treatment programs.

Jul 31, 2014 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) railed against the choice of the Republican Majority in the House of Representatives to focus on debating and passing House Resolution 676, a resolution authorizing the U.S. House to sue the President of the United States:

Jul 30, 2014 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, released the following statement after the House passage of the conference report on H.R. 3230, the Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014. H.R.

Jul 30, 2014 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, released the following statement congratulating and welcoming the Senate confirmation of Robert McDonald, the new secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Jul 17, 2014 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) introduced a resolution in the United States House of Representatives to designate a national “Get Vertical” Day to encourage Americans – especially adults – to incorporate physical activity in their workday so that they may live healthier and more productive lives.

Jul 9, 2014 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies released the following statement regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) plan to restructure the office of Medical Inspector:

Jun 10, 2014 Press Release

ALBANY, GA – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) is proud to announce the following U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grants awarded to Albany Area Primary Health Care through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). One grant will go towards funding primary care provided by the facility and the other will support early prevention programs and medical care for those affected by HIV/AIDS.

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