The number of uninsured West Virginians is expected to drop by 70 percent in the next three years. That’s according to numbers from the state Insurance Commissioners Office and presented by West Virginians for Affordable Health Care in the wake of open enrollment under the health care exchange.
The non-profit group is working with organizations around the state to help West Virginians navigate that new exchange and sign up for insurance.
WVAHC Executive Director Perry Bryant said so many Americans have become interested in signing up for coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s central facet that the federal website crashed Tuesday morning and there was a wait time of up to 15 minutes for the federal call center.
He said in order to help with the influx, some West Virginia groups have created their own websites to assist consumers looking to buy health insurance or qualifiers sign up for Medicaid in the hopes that they can impact the state’s overall health in the future.
“It is a new day. It is a new era and one in which we are going to take a significant step towards providing quality, affordable health care in West Virginia and I’m proud to be a part of that effort,” Perry said during a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
To enroll or find assistance in navigating the health care exchange, visit one of the following sites:
www.healthcare.gov
www.localhelp.healthcare.gov
www.goenrollWV.org
Or call:
Federal Call Center 1-800-318-2596
WV Primary Care Association 1-877-WVA-HLTH
To report any possible fraud or scams related to ACA, contact the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office at 1-800-363-8808.