Page 29 - CNF April 2021

Special Enrollment Period Offers
Coming
next month in
South Florida
Hospital News
and Healthcare
Report...
National Hospital
Week
Annual Nurses Issue –
Salute to Nurses
Nursing Profiles
Nursing Trends &
Challenges
Financial Institutions
For more information
on advertising and
editorial opportunities, call
(561) 368-6950 today!
4 April 2021
Help for Uninsured Floridians
Florida and the rest of tion worsens or becomes Without health insurance, people who
the nation are hopefully potentially life-threatening. get sick, need medicine, suffer a traumat-
turning the corner on the
ic accident or injury, or require medical
In response to the pan-
unprecedented COVID-19 demic’s impact on the treatment of any kind either forego care
or rely on hospitals to provide that care.
national economy and job
pandemic. However, while
case rates continue to drop market, the federal govern- While health insurance does not guaran-
and the state’s economy ment temporarily re-opened tee access to care, it is an important
continues to improve, the health insurance determinant in access to timely and
many people still face eco- exchange, HealthCare.gov, appropriate care. Numerous studies have
nomic uncertainty and the where individuals can com- shown that people without health insur-
prospect of lapsing health pare available health insur- ance are more likely to delay health care
insurance. ance plans, potentially or, tragically, forgo it altogether. The
Today, with the rollout of BY MARY MAYHEW qualify for substantial pre- health consequences can be severe, par-
three safe and highly effec- mium subsidies and cost- ticularly when preventable conditions,
tive COVID-19 vaccines, sharing help, and purchase such as coronary heart disease, or chron-
Florida is well positioned for a strong coverage. Normally open for enrollment ic diseases, such as diabetes or high
economic recovery. But, it will take time. only in the fall or upon a life event (like blood pressure, go undetected.
Amy Baker, coordinator of the losing a job and employer-provided cov- Being uninsured takes a heavy toll on
Legislature’s Office of Economic & erage, getting married or having a baby), individuals and families. It has a cost for
Demographic Research, told lawmakers the exchange is now available until our health care system as well. Florida’s
last month that despite improved tax- August 15 for people who previously did hospitals have an ethical and legal obli-
revenue numbers for December and an not enroll so they can find and purchase gation to treat everyone who comes to
improved outlook for the hospitality and affordable private health insurance. them, regardless of their ability to pay.
leisure industries, it may be 2024 until Florida has an estimated 1.6 million The cost of that duty is more than $1.8
those industries return to pre-pandemic residents eligible to purchase coverage billion in charity care.
levels of activity and revenue. through the exchange, according to data For Florida’s hospitals, your health
For Floridians who lost their job or are analysis from the Kaiser Family matters. And so does having an afford-
in between jobs, figuring out how to get Foundation. Nearly two-thirds (65 per- able and reliable source of health insur-
health insurance for themselves and their cent) of these residents also qualify for ance and access to timely health care.
families can be a challenge and a signifi- full or partial subsidies that reduce the The health insurance exchange is open
cant worry. Having affordable and reli- monthly premium required. In the first for business until August 15. Let’s get
able health insurance can be the differ- two weeks of the special enrollment peri- Florida covered.
ence between successfully managing an od, nearly 62,000 Floridians – more than
illness and having to rely on hospital any other state -- purchased private cov- Mary Mayhew is President and CEO of the
emergency departments when a condi- erage on the exchange. Florida Hospital Association.
1 0 GGreat Reasons
to EExplore the
MSHHSA-MPH
Duaal Degree
Personaliz ed a tt ention from admis sion
o
e
1
r
th ough gr adua tion
e
Very aff or dable with special tuition
2
-r
paack age f or public health- ela t ed c ourses
a
Nationally and int erna tionnally
3
acclaimed f aculty
c
Flexible h ybrid and onlinee learning
e
4
n
envir onments
Ri er Scholarship and ma y
n
Ri tt er Scholarship and ma n y
tt
5 5
otthers a v ailable
T
o
6 GRRE/GMA T not r equir ed for admis sion
G
Haands-on int ernships tha t help y ou
7
geet hir ed
Dyynamic affilia tions with influential
8
heealthcar e or ganiza tions
a t gr
Fas o wing indus try withh car eer
9
ad anc ement opportunitiees
dv
f h
lthcar
G ikain kno
10 G a wledge of healthc e
l d
10
finnanc e , la w , leadership annd
puublic-health tr ends
Barryy.edu/HSA
305.8899.3541
southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News