Executive thanks Health Leadership Circle for enrollment efforts

April 11, 2014

Summary

This is a letter King County Executive Dow Constantine sent to committee members of the Healthcare Enrollment Leadership Circle, who worked tirelessly to support King County's efforts to enroll more than 150,000 residents in affordable healthcare prior to the first deadline of the Affordable Care Act.

Story

This is a letter King County Executive Dow Constantine sent to committee members of the Healthcare Enrollment Leadership Circle, who worked tirelessly to support King County's efforts to enroll more than 150,000 residents in affordable healthcare prior to the first deadline of the Affordable Care Act.

Dear Leadership Circle Executive Committee members:

Thank you for all your help spreading the word about Coverage is Here King County. More than 150,000 residents in King County have new insurance following the first open enrollment period of the Affordable Care Act!

As a member of the Leadership Circle Executive Committee, you played a key role in ensuring this success – whether it be through the advice and feedback you provided on key county strategies, sponsoring enrollment events, sharing information with your community, writing editorials about the benefits of health insurance coverage, or giving presentations to community groups. Together with each of you, our elected officials, county agencies, community groups, and more than 600 individuals trained as in-person assisters, we successfully spread awareness and educated prospective enrollees over the course of seven months. Thank you!

I have great news to report: the Washington State Public Health Association has just recognized the three co-chairs of our Healthcare Enrollment Leadership Circle— Maud Daudon (Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce), Tom Gibbon (Swedish Medical Center), and Gordon McHenry (Solid Ground)—and myself as Health Champions. With this recognition, awarded annually by WSPHA to celebrate National Public Health Week, we join an illustrious group of individuals, coalitions, and businesses who have demonstrated excellence in their efforts to improve and protect the public’s health in our state.

My thanks extend to the combined efforts of all of the employees, volunteers, and community partners who joined our “all hands on deck” enrollment campaign. The result is impressive: by the first enrollment deadline of March 31, more than 150,000 people signed up for individual insurance plans. Although open enrollment through Washington Healthplanfinder has now closed, some residents may still be eligible to apply – and enrollment in Apple Health (Medicaid) is available year-round.

The second open enrollment period for purchasing health insurance through Washington Healthplanfinder is Nov. 15, 2014 through Feb. 15, 2015. Below is list of answers to questions residents may have about enrolling in coverage between now and Nov. 15. I hope you find these helpful as you work within your community.

Sincerely,

Dow Constantine
King County Executive

• Enrollment in Apple Health (Medicaid) is still available: Although the open enrollment period to buy into the exchange concluded March 31, anyone who qualifies for Apple Health (Medicaid) can continue to register through Washington Healthplanfinder at any time.


• Consumers who experienced problems with the Healthplanfinder website and/or contacting the Exchange customer call center: Customers who began their application before March 31, but because of problems with the website or contacting the customer service call center could not complete the application, should contact the Exchange by either calling 1-855-923-4633 or emailing customersupport@wahbexchange.org to report their situation. The Exchange is giving them additional time by treating this as a Special Enrollment Period (SEP), and will be reviewing these individual situations on a case-by-case basis.


• Complex Cases Special Enrollment Period: The Exchange will review an individual’s application if they had a problem that is considered a “complex case.” Circumstances that are considered complex cases include exceptional circumstances like a natural disaster; misinformation, misrepresentation or inaction by individuals or entities providing enrollment help; your insurance company didn’t get your information due to a technical issue; system errors related to immigration status; display errors on the Healthplanfinder website; error messages that prevented you from using Healthplanfinder to complete your application; and victims of domestic abuse. Consumers who experienced one or more of these “complex case” circumstances should contact the Exchange as soon as possible by either calling 1-855-923-4633 or emailing customersupport@wahbexchange.org to report their situation. The Exchange will review an individual’s circumstances on a case-by-case basis.


• Qualifying Event Special Enrollment Period: In addition to the circumstances described above, outside of open enrollment, an individual may be able to enroll in a Qualified Health Plan through Washington Healthplanfinder if they experience a change that is a “qualifying event.” These events include getting married, having a child, adopting a child or having a child placed with you, moving to a new area that offers different health plan options, or losing other health coverage. Follow this link for a full list of qualifying events on the Office of Insurance Commissioner’s website. To see if an individual qualifies, new and existing Healthplanfinder customers need to report a change or the qualifying event using the Healthplanfinder website.