Category Archives: News

Special Enrollment Period for the Affordable Care Act

March 15, 2015 through April 30, 2015 The open enrollment deadline to sign up for health insurance passed in February, but some consumers are getting a second chance. As tax season cranks into full gear, the federal government decided to offer a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) through April 30. So who qualifies this time around? You may still be able to enroll in 2015 coverage if: You didn’t know until after open enrollment ended on Feb. 15, 2015, that the healthcare law required you and your household to have health coverage, or you didn’t understand how the requirement would impact you and your household You owe the fee for not having coverage for one or more months in 2014 You aren’t already enrolled in 2015 coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace or outside the Marketplace If all of these apply to you, you can enroll in a 2015 plan through April 30, 2015. If you enroll in coverage on or before the 15th of the month, coverage will be effective the first day of the following month. A tax exemption tool is available at Healthcare.gov to help consumers find out if they qualify for an exemption from any penalties. Other special enrollment periods throughout the year offer coverage to people losing group coverage, people getting married or having a baby, small businesses looking to insure employees, and a handful of other scenarios. Find the full list at Healthcare.gov.  

N.O. Kidney Walk Set for Nov. 2

The 2014 New Orleans Kidney Walk will take place on Sunday, Nov. 2, at Audubon Park, Shelter #10, at 8 a.m. The Walk is a non-competitive walk focusing on education, the prevention of kidney and urinary tract diseases, and awareness of the need for organ donation.

‘Shaping Policy to Build a Healthier Louisiana’ Summit to be Held Sept. 24 in Baton Rouge

The Louisiana Healthy Communities Coalition (LHCC), which strives to improve the health and quality of life of Louisianans by mobilizing communities through implementing policy, systems and environmental changes, cordially invites you to attend the LHCC Annual Summit, “Shaping Policy to Build a Healthier Louisiana.” The summit will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge and will convene community-based organizations, local and state government, businesses, faith-based entities and residents across Louisiana to learn more on ways to improve health by shaping policy. All attendees are required to register no later than Wednesday, Sept. 24. There is a registration fee of $30, which includes breakfast and lunch. Click here to register.

HHS sets enrollment rules for year two of Obamacare

By The Washington Post The Obama administration proposed new rules Thursday to let most Americans with health plans in the federal health insurance marketplace be enrolled automatically in a second year of coverage, but the approach prompted swift questions about how it would work and who would benefit.