Bridgercare offering Affordable Care Act Marketplace help

Bridgercare is offering free consultations with a Certified Application Counselor to enroll in a health care plan through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.
 
Are you confused by the Affordable Care Act?  Worried you will be fined, because you haven’t applied for health care yet?  Overwhelmed by the different plans and the enrollment process?

The Affordable Care Act has enabled many Americans to finally receive the medical care they need, but the experience of finding and applying for health insurance can sometimes be confusing and overwhelming.

We’re excited to announce that our support staff are now Certified Applicant Counselors (CAC) trained to assist  anyone in the community with health coverage options through the Marketplace of the Affordable Care Act, including completion of eligibility and enrollment forms on healthcare.gov.  Bridgercare provides this service free of charge. We do not receive any benefit or commission for enrolling anyone and are prohibited from endorsing any insurance agency or specific plan over another.  We can give you information about your health care options and explain the different insurance benefits. Getting a free consultation does not require you to choose enrollment through the Marketplace.  However, if you decide to enroll, we will help you through the application process every step of the way.

How can you schedule your free consultation?
It’s easy.  Just call Bridgercare at 406-587-0681 and make an appointment with any of our front desk staff who will be glad to help you.  Since all of our staff is trained, we will be able to schedule you quickly and flexibly.  Free consultations will be scheduled starting November 15th, aligning with the beginning of the open enrollment period for the 2015 plan year.

I’m not a current patient at Bridgercare - can I still schedule a consultation?
We offer this service to everyone, regardless of your patient status with Bridgercare.  As part of our overall mission to provide excellent, affordable health care, we are reaching out to anyone in our community who could benefit from this information and would like to take advantage of a trained CAC to discuss their health care options.
 
What should you bring to your consultation?
The initial consultation usually lasts about an hour and a half. It is helpful to have your login information with you, if you have already set up an account on the Marketplace website.  If you haven’t set up an account yet, we will help you do this during your initial consultation.  All you need is an email address.  If you do not have an email address, we can still enroll you via phone; just know that it will take a little longer.  You will need your social security number as well as your income information.  Any possible health care discounts are based on income projections for 2015, rather than your income from 2014. We can help with projecting your income as accurately as possible.  It is also helpful to bring a list of medications you are on and physicians you are currently seeing to ensure your new health insurance plan will cover them.  We will provide a complete check list of things to bring when you make your appointment.

What is the difference in using Bridgercare verses an insurance agency to enroll?
Because training for the Certified Application Counselors (CAC) is paid for by a federal grant and Bridgercare is a non-profit, we provide this informational service for free to our clients and any interested community members.  We are not associated with any insurance agency and will receive no monetary benefit for enrolling anyone in the Marketplace. This allows us to be neutral and simply help you understand your options and support you in whichever decision you make.  If you still have questions or would like more detailed information, feel free to call Bridgercare at 406-587-0681. We’re looking forward to speaking with you!