The Peru Gazette

[Glens Falls, NY] – Adirondack Health Institute is offering free enrollment assistance services to individuals, families and small business owners in seven North Country counties – Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington. Open Enrollment for health insurance coverage through the NY State of Health Marketplace is underway and runs through January 31, 2018.  However, the deadline is December 15, 2017 to begin health insurance coverage on January 1, 2018.

“Our enrollment specialists provide unbiased assistance to help clients determine their health insurance eligibility for Qualified Health Plans and such programs as Medicaid, Child Health Plus and the Essential Plan,” explained Joyce Porter, AHI’s Enrollment Assistance Services and Education (EASE) Program Manager. “We are excited to help our community members enroll in high-quality, affordable coverage, and many individuals will see a decrease in premium costs in 2018 for comparable coverage.”

Individuals may call AHI’s toll-free number, 1-866-872-3740, or visit http://www.ahihealth.org/ease/appointment-request/ to schedule a no-cost appointment with an enrollment specialist. 

“We strongly encourage the public to call us for an appointment sooner rather than later,” said Porter. She went on to explain that anyone not enrolled in a health insurance plan by January 31 may be subject to a penalty of 2.5 percent of their annual household income, or a flat fee of more than $695 for an individual and $2,085 per family.

Adirondack Health Institute is an independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization licensed under the New York State Public Health Law as an Article 28 Central Services Facility. Since 1987, AHI has supported hospitals, physician practices, behavioral health providers, community-based organizations and others in the region in sharing our vision and mission of transforming health care and improving population health. A joint venture of Adirondack Health, Glens Falls Hospital, Hudson Headwaters Health Network, St. Lawrence Health System, and the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, AHI’s mission is to create transformative initiatives to improve access to health care services allowing the residents   of the Adirondack region to realize their full potential and live a healthy life. For more information, please visit www.ahihealth.org.