Health Insurance Deadline is March 31! Are You Enrolled?

UPDATE: While the deadline is still March 31, there is a little wiggle room. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that those who have already started the enrollment process before March 31 can finish after the deadline.

"Just like Election Day, if you are in line when the polls close, you get to vote. We won’t close the door on those who tried to get covered and were unable to do so through no fault of their own. So, those who were in line or had technical problems with the website can quickly come back and sign up as soon as possible," writes Julie Bataille, Director of Communications at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in a blog post dated March 26.

******

Just a few days remain to sign up for health insurance at Healthcare.gov! Open enrollment for insurance this year ends on March 31.

Healthcare.gov has some excellent information for those who still need to enroll. For a quick refresher of what exactly the Health Insurance Marketplace provides, as well as who it's for, check out this guide. Another great source of information is this page, which gives you an idea of what to expect as you enroll. For answers to other questions, check out the FAQ page.

St. Louis Public Library still has a few opportunities left for you to get help signing up. Appointments are not necessary.

• From 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 26 (that's tonight), Central Library will host certified application counselors from the Betty Jean Kerr People's Health Centers. Counselors will be available just inside the Locust Street entrance on the north side of the building.
• Certified application counselors from the People's Community Action Corporation will be at the Barr Branch from 3-6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 27.
• The certified application counselors from Betty Jean Kerr People's Health Centers will be back at Central one last time from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, March 29, again just inside the Locust Street entrance.

Learn About Cancer at the Library on March 25

In just eight days, the St. Louis Public Library and our partners will present the first of our panel discussions in "Can I Catch That? The 2014 Consumer Health Information Speaker Series." Join us at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 25 in the auditorium at Central Library for "Cancer: Risks, Prevention, and Intervention." The event will feature local health experts Dr. Bettina Drake, Janelle Mann, Pharm.D., and Monique Norfolk discussing the risk factors and treatments of cancer, as well as preventative measures you can take to decrease your risk of cancer. For more information about our speakers, read on:


Dr. Bettina Drake is an Assistant Professor at Washington University School of Medicine and Siteman Cancer Center. Her research has focused on identifying preventive strategies to reduce cancer disparities. The objectives of her research program are: to identify the modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for cancer as well as the at-risk groups for these factors; to utilize community-based approaches to design, implement and disseminate research information; to promote education and awareness of research and research participation in minority communities. Currently she is conducting community-based research through the Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD) on minority recruitment into biorepository studies. In addition, she co-leads the Prostate Cancer Community Partnership, a community partnership of PECaD, which seeks to reduce prostate cancer disparities in the region.


Janelle Mann, Pharm.D., BCOP, is an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. In addition to her teaching duties, she is a clinical oncology pharmacist at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine. Mann is a 2009 graduate of St. Louis College of Pharmacy. She completed a PGY-1 pharmacy residency and PGY-2 oncology specialty residency at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, Wis.

Monique A. Norfolk, MPH is a Program Coordinator/Community Health Educator at Washington University School of Medicine. She coordinates outreach efforts for The Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD) of the Siteman Cancer Center of Barnes-Jewish Hospital. In her role, she ensures collaboration between the university and community stakeholders. Her background is in public health education and health behavior. She received her master’s degree in public health from Saint Louis University School of Public Health. Mrs. Norfolk is a St. Louis native and has worked with the community since finishing her degree. Currently, Mrs. Norfolk coordinates PECaD community partnerships and expansion of PECaD education and outreach, disseminates findings and locally/regionally developed resources, identifies new community partners, and seeks ways to better integrate research partners.

The "Can I Catch That? 2014 Consumer Health Information Speaker Series" is held in partnership with HealthStreet, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, and Washington University's Bernard Becker Medical Library.

 

Time is Running Out to Enroll Through the Health Insurance Marketplace!

If you don't have health insurance already, you have until March 31 to enroll through the Health Insurance Marketplace at www.healthcare.gov.

Through our community partnerships, St. Louis Public Library is offering several opportunities before then to get enrolled at various branches. Throughout March, representatives from the Betty Jean Kerr People's Health Centers will be available at Central Library each Wednesday night from 6-8 p.m., and the People's Community Action Corporation will be at Barr Branch every Tuesday and Thursday from 3-6:30 p.m. For a full list of events, visit our Upcoming Events page.

Remember, you don't have to worry about enrolling for health insurance if you already have insurance through work or another means, or if you are already covered by Medicare or Medicaid. But if you aren't enrolled in some sort of health insurance by the end of March, there is a penalty. According to Healthcare.gov's FAQ page, the 2014 penalty is 1% of your income, or $95 per person ($47.50 for minors) per household, whichever is higher. The penalty increases each year. For more information on the penalties, go here.

Check out our page on the Affordable Care Act for more general information.