Jessica Morales of West Jordan, other student leaders plan ACA enrollment event

2016 Nov 14

Jessica Morales of West Jordan, together with other student leaders at The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC), has planned an Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance registration event on Wednesday, Nov. 30, from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at TCMC's Medical Science Building at 525 Pine Street, Scranton. The event is being hosted in conjunction with The Advocacy Alliance, Scranton.

The open enrollment period for a 2017 insurance plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace ends Jan. 31. The open enrollment period is also the time to make any changes to existing coverage. After Jan. 31, individuals can't enroll in a health insurance plan for 2017 unless they qualify for a special exemption.

TCMC has held ACA enrollment events in the past to assist local residents in the sign-up process.

Tom McHugh, health insurance navigator at The Advocacy Alliance said, "The Advocacy Alliance partnership with the students of TCMC has allowed dozens of Lackawanna County residents the opportunity to get help so they can better understand and take advantage of the benefits offered by the ACA. TCMC students and The Advocacy Alliance staff make available a clear and understandable explanation of the ACA and how participants can gain affordable healthcare coverage for themselves and their family."

Third-year medical student David Sullivan said, "As a future physician, I feel it is my obligation to help people obtain health coverage. Having coverage and being able to access preventive medicine services is an important step to maintaining wellness."

Attendees should bring their Social Security number or document information for immigrants with satisfactory status; employer and income information for everyone in the family; and federal tax information.