Sunday is the deadline to get insured under the Affordable Care Act on healthcare.gov and healthcare organizations are hosting navigation sites across the state.
Iowans who do not receive health insurance through an employer and want to take full advantage of healthcare subsidies have many options this week to meet with navigators. There are dozens of events where consumers who need to sign up for health insurance can meet with a healthcare navigator.
Though, Karen Sullivan with Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa encourages people to schedule an appointment. She says there’s a bit of an uptick in demand for help this year partly because of a shorter sign-up window.
“Last year we had a longer season for open enrollment and so I think the demand was there but it wasn’t as urgent," Sullivan says. "Now with the open enrollment period being compacted into a three month period versus last year it was a six month period I just think that people need help and they are calling our number to ask for assistance.”
Sullivan says there’s a high demand for navigators in Polk County, home to the state’s largest population. She also notes a strong demand in Cerro Gordo County, which includes Mason City and Clear Lake, in northern Iowa.
Sullivan specifically encourages those Iowans insured by failed Co-Opportunity Health who have not sorted out their healthcare coverage to set up an appointment.
