Public Health: Assistance available for Marketplace sign-up
Public Health of Madison and Dane County would like to remind residents of assistance programs that are available when signing up for health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Residents can ask questions or sign up for coverage by going to the website or calling 1-800-318-2596 and talking to a Marketplace representative, according to a release. Both options lead residents through a step-by-step process, but until the website is running more smoothly, calling a Marketplace representative is the best option.
Below is the information needed to sign up:
ID information for all family members (Social Security numbers or green card or visa numbers)
Information about household income (this will determine financial assistance eligibility) Information about insurance offered through your job or spouse’s job, including how much it costs for a single plan (even if you don’t take it)
After signing up through the Health Insurance Marketplace, Dane County residents can call 211 to see if they are eligible for assistance through the United Way of Dane County’s Health Connect Program.
There are also community locations where residents can talk to a Certified Application Counselor from Public Health-Madison & Dane County or Access Community Health Centers, according to the release. The counselors are using the same Marketplace resources as the general public, but they have had training to answer questions and help people through the process.
No appointments are needed at the following centers offering enrollment assistance:
Dane County Job Center, 1819 Aberg Avenue, Madison (Access Community Health Center counselors)
Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Representatives from the health insurance plans are on hand at the job center every Thursday from 1 to 6 p.m. For more information call 1-888-794-5556 or go online
Public library locations (Public Health-Madison & Dane County counselors)
Madison libraries
Central Library (201 W. Mifflin St.) – Mon. Nov. 4, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Pinney Branch (204 Cottage Grove Road) – Tue. Nov. 5, 2-5 p.m.
Lakeview Branch (2845 N. Sherman Ave.) – Wed. Nov. 15, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Goodman South Madison Branch Library (2222 S. Park St.) – Wed. Nov. 15, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hawthorne Branch (2705 E. Washington Ave.) – Tue. Nov. 19, 2-5 p.m. Meadowridge Branch (5740 Raymond Road) – Thur. Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Dane County libraries
Sun Prairie Public Library (1350 Linnerud Drive) – Wed. Nov. 6, 4-7 p.m.
Cross Plains Rosemary Garfoot Public Library (2107 Julius St.) – Mon. Nov. 11, 4-7 p.m. Mount Horeb Public Library (101 Perimeter Road) – Tue. Nov. 12, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. DeForest Public Library (203 Library St.) – Thur. Nov. 14, 4-7 p.m.
Deerfield Public Library (12 W. Nelson St.) – Wed. Nov. 20, 2-5 p.m. Stoughton Public Library (304 S. Fourth St.) – Tue. Nov. 26, 4-7 p.m.
The Health Insurance Marketplace opened Oct. 1, and anyone who wants coverage to start Jan. 1, 2014 needs to enroll before Dec. 15.
