March Madness Inspires Obamacare Sign-ups

Bronx, NY — For the Council Member Andy King, this week’s kick-off of March Madness is another chance to encourage young people — between the ages of 18-25 — to sign up for health care.

“When you’re young you don’t think about healthcare too much until you experience an injury or an accident and must be rushed to the hospital,” Council Member King, who played neighborhood and college basketball. “It’s not only important to have medical coverage in case of emergency but to receive routine check-ups of your health.”

On Saturday, March 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Congress Member Charles Rangel and Council Member King will host an affordable healthcare sign-up session at the Williamsbridge NAACP ECE Center, 680 East 219th St., off White Plains Road, Bronx. Congress Member Rangel will speak to attendees at 10:30 a.m. about the importance of signing up for health care.

The deadline to enroll is March 31, 2014. The financing of healthcare plan requires younger, healthier people to offset the costs of older, less healthy people.

The purpose of Saturday’s session is to help Bronx residents sign up for coverage with the NYS Marketplace, which offers affordable, free or low-cost health insurance options.

There are many plans to choose from, and due to the Affordable Care Act, all plans will cover 10 essential health benefits like emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, and more. Additionally, no plan can cap how much insurance they will provide over the course of a year or a lifetime.

There will be trained independent enrollers who will work with individuals to understand options. For more information on Saturday’s session place call the Office of Council Member King at (718) 684-5509.

For Bronx residents who are unable to attend, the NYS of Health Marketplace can be accessed on the Web at www.nystateofhealth.ny.gov and or call 311 for assistance. For questions or appointment with a trained enroller, you can email enroll@cssny.org or call (888) 614-5400.