Advertising telling Delawareans and others open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans is underway has been slashed this year.
But Westside Family Healthcare reports it’s still seeing residents reaching out about getting covered.
Westside Family Healthcare officials say they’re helping about the same number of people as last year - even though the open enrollment period is shorter and advertising’s been cut.
Westside and other groups are hosting public enrollment events this month. Events have already been held in New Castle and Kent Counties. And there’s one in Sussex County this weekend.
With less publicity directed at getting people covered, Westside Navigator Stephanie Cantres said they’re doing what they can to get the word out across the state.
“So, we’re trying to be proactive, reach out to the consumers we enrolled last year through the marketplace plans to let them one-on-one that the enrollment time has changed," she said. "But there are still a lot of people who don’t know.”
Open enrollment lasts until Dec. 15th. Delaware currently has about 27,000 residents covered by ACA plans. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is the only insurer offering those plans this year.
Navigator Sara Arana Cruz said people interested in enrollment are contacting them.
“A lot of them maybe had Aetna health insurance last year and this year they’re having to switch over to Blue Cross Blue Shield. So, we’re seeing a lot of those enrollments coming in.”
Aetna announced its departure from all marketplaces, including Delaware’s, last year.
