WASHINGTON, D.C. — With Monday marking the deadline to enroll for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget urged West Virginians to sign up.
“There are number of issues in our state and people having the kind of health care that they need and deserve, I think, is going to make a big difference to the health and the happiness and productivity overall in the state,” said West Virginia native Sylvia Matthews Burwell.
As of two weeks ago, the estimated number of West Virginians who had selected an insurance plan ranged from 7,962 to 10,000. The targeted enrollment was more than 30,000.
A study from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation study released last October projected 159,000 West Virginians would be eligible for insurance through the state’s Medicaid expansion with another 60,000 state residents eligible for tax subsidies to help buy insurance on the exchange.
For those who miss the March 31 deadline, the next sign-up period will come in November. Burwell and other Obama administration officials are urging residents to meet the current deadline.
“What’s important now is going to the website or starting the phone call,” Burwell said. “Even if you can’t get all of the decisions made and everything tied up. If you can get that process started that can help you get over the line and get it finished.”
As for those who may be underemployed, Burwell said there are subsidies to help pay the monthly insurance fees. For more information log on to healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596.