More Texans Signing Up for Obamacare Plans This Year, But Dec. 15 Deadline Looms

For Immediate Release
Contact: Peter Clark, 512-473-2274, [email protected]

Community Groups Are Offering Free, Virtual Assistance with the Sign Up Process

Austin - More Texans are signing up for health insurance on healthcare.gov compared to last year, although the December 15th deadline to enroll in a plan is approaching fast. According to data from the U.S. government’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), more than 471,000 Texans chose health plans through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by November 28th, compared to 400,000 at the same time last year, representing an increase of 18 percent.

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“With the pandemic highlighting how important health insurance is, it’s a relief to see so many Texans signing up for insurance on healthcare.gov,” said Melissa McChesney, Senior Policy Analyst for Every Texan (formerly known as CPPP), a member of the Cover Texas Now coalition. “Financial assistance is available for Texans on a tight budget to help lower the cost of their plan — and community groups are offering free, virtual help with the sign up process — but you need to sign up before that December 15th deadline.”

Nine out of ten consumers who signed up for coverage through the ACA in Texas last year qualified for a tax credit to reduce the cost of their insurance.

Insurance plans on HealthCare.Gov must include key benefits like mental health care, maternity care, prescription drug coverage, and hospitalization services. Plans outside HealthCare.Gov do not have to offer the same protections.

Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the nation, largely because the Legislature has not accepted federal Medicaid expansion funding to cover uninsured Texas workers below the federal poverty line. Many more Texans have lost job-based health insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsidies on healthcare.gov are generally only available to individuals and families above the poverty line, meaning that Texas workers below the poverty line typically have no affordable insurance options. A number of state lawmakers have filed Medicaid expansion bills for the upcoming Texas legislative session.

The following resources are available to help Texans connect with local organizations that provide enrollment assistance:

  • Dallas: Visit the Dallas County ACA website and click on “Local Marketplace Assistance.” Organizations providing assistance include Parkland Health and Hospital System, Mission East Dallas, Los Barrios Unidos Clinic, and more.

  • Gulf Coast/Houston: Visit the Get Covered Connector to search for assistance by zip code. Organizations providing assistance include Legacy Community Health, Change Happens, Light and Salt, and Avenue360.

  • San Antonio: Call 2-1-1 or visit enrollsa.com. Organizations providing assistance include CentroMed.

Options for Texans living outside of the areas listed above:

  • Contact your local community health center for in-person assistance. Texans can use MyTexasMyHealth.org to search for their local community health center.

  • HealthCare.Gov has a tool to Find Local Help. To filter results so that only the trained assisters from local community-based organizations are visible, you can remove the “Agent or Broker” box under “Filter,” so that only the “Assisters” box is showing. (Assisters are certified people trained to help Texans apply and enroll in a health plan with savings or apply for Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). They are required to provide fair, impartial, and accurate information, free of charge.)

  • Foundation Communities’ Prosper Health Coverage Program provides enrollment assistance over the phone by appointment for Texas residents that have no community-based assisters in their area. Call 512-381-4520 or visit ProsperHealthCoverage.org.

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