Health Insurance Navigators are already assisting HealthCare.gov enrollees during Open Enrollment, which closes Jan. 16, 2024.
Raleigh, N.C. – The NC Navigator Consortium is helping newly eligible North Carolinians apply for NC Medicaid, in collaboration with the North Carolina Community Health Center Association, Care Share Health Alliance and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. The NC Navigator Consortium is a nonpartisan, nonprofit group of organizations whose federally-qualified Health Insurance Navigators give peace of mind to those seeking free, unbiased help finding quality, affordable coverage. While best known for helping N.C. residents find Health Insurance Marketplace® plans during Open Enrollment (which ends Jan. 16, 2024), Health Insurance Navigators are available to support consumers (including those seeking Medicaid) year round. Learn more at ncnavigator.net.
Starting December 1, 2023, NC Medicaid will start covering more adults ages 19 through 64 earning up to 138% of the federal poverty line (e.g., singles earning about $20,000/year or families of three earning about $34,000/year). The coverage will be comprehensive, including services like primary care, hospital stays, maternity care, vision and hearing, dental/oral health care and more. Health Insurance Navigators are already answering questions that include: “Am I eligible for NC Medicaid?” “Can I be eligible for both HealthCare.gov and Medicaid?” “What does Medicaid cover?” and “How do I apply?”
In addition to answering general questions about NC Medicaid eligibility, Health Insurance Navigators can help consumers apply for Medicaid and troubleshoot eligibility denials. While consumers can apply in-person, by phone or mail, applications submitted online through ePASS may be processed faster. The processing time for applications can be up to 45 days. Unlike HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment which started Nov. 1, 2023, and will end Jan. 16, 2024, eligible consumers can apply for Medicaid any time.
For those enrolling in coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplace® at HealthCare.gov, there are two important upcoming deadlines:
- Dec. 15, 2023, is the last day to enroll or update coverage that starts Jan. 1, 2024.
- Jan. 16, 2024, is the last day of Open Enrollment. After this date, new policies will only be available to those with qualifying life events or who make 100-150% of the Federal Poverty Level. Policies secured between Dec. 16, 2023, and Jan. 15, 2024, will start Feb. 1, 2023.
NC Navigator Consortium consumers often credit their navigators with helping them save hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars on Marketplace policies and subsidies that they may not have been able to find on their own. Tax credits and subsidies are still in place from the Inflation Reduction Act, meaning 80% of enrollees getting covered for $10 or less each month. Consumers appreciate that their navigators show them all their options, and check to ensure their providers and prescriptions are covered on the plan they select. Read real consumer stories on the NCNavigator.net website.
Started in 2014, the NC Navigator Consortium is the only federally funded Navigator entity in the state that serves all 100 counties across North Carolina. Learn more at ncnavigator.net, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Members of the Consortium are Access East, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Cumberland HealthNET, HealthCare Access, HealthNet Gaston, Kintegra Health, Mountain Projects, NC Field and Pisgah Legal Services. The Consortium is led by Legal Aid of North Carolina.
Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers to economic opportunity. Learn more at legalaidnc.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
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The project described was supported by Funding Opportunity number NAVCA210405-03-00 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The contents provided are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HHS or any of its agencies.