Free Health Insurance Enrollment Help for Waukesha County
On Saturday December 5th, the “Holly Jolly” Health and Insurance Fair will be held at the La Casa de Esperanza location at 410 Arcadian Ave., Waukesha, WI 53186 from 10a.m. – 2p.m. This event is hosted by St. Joseph’s Medical Clinic, Inc., La Casa de Esperanza, and the Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. Free give-aways including 5 $50 gift cards, a pair of tickets for a carriage ride in downtown Waukesha through the Waukesha Downtown Business Association’s (WDBA) annual “Silver Bells” holiday events [www.waukeshasilverbells.com], and “goody-bags” with coupons and discounts sponsored by Molina Healthcare, Dean Health Plan, and the WDBA. Come learn about community health resources. Enrollment and re-enrollment help is available including BadgerCare.
Other insurance enrollment events are also being offered in the Waukesha County community. These events can assist you with either enrollment for plans via Healthcare.gov or BadgerCare. If you feel you may qualify for an exemption from purchasing health insurance, assistance is available.
For many individuals and families with household incomes between poverty level and 400% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL), financial assistance in the form of a tax subsidy can help reduce costs on the premium. This tax subsidy can be offered on a monthly basis and provides the assistance that many families may need to be able to enroll in healthcare coverage. As reported by the Kaiser Family Foundation (www.kff.org), on average, the amount of financial assistance WI residents receive on their premium tax subsidy is $312 per month. Cost-sharing reduction, another form of tax subsidy, for households with incomes up to 250%, can help individuals with their out-of-pocket expenses including the deductible and co-insurance. In Wisconsin, which offers a Federally Facilitated Marketplace, insurance carriers are offering catastrophic, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum plans.
When receiving assistance to afford your health insurance, be on the look-out during the 2015 tax filing season for the 1095 form(s) which details the amount of tax subsidy received and other important information concerning your health insurance. Contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at www.irs.gov or a tax preparer to learn how to file this form(s) as part of your income tax filing. For free or low-cost community assistance with tax filing, you may contact La Casa de Esperanza’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program at 262-832-1534 or at www.lacasadeesperanza.org/volunteer-income-tax-assistance-vita
For those below the poverty level, applications to the state Medicaid program, BadgerCare or “Forward Health”, can be made year round at access.wisconsin.gov or the Moraine Lakes Consortium at 1-888-446-1239. Since the income eligibility criteria changed April 1st of 2014, many individuals without minor aged-children at home have become eligible for BadgerCare and no longer are on a waiting list. Pregnant women and children are eligible up to 300% of FPL.
St. Joseph’s Medical Clinic can help! Although the ACA makes health insurance more affordable to many, it is not and was never intended to be universal health coverage. Free and charitable clinics continue to be a critical safety net provider in Wisconsin in response to gaps in health care. For over 38 years, St. Joseph’s Medical Clinic mission has been providing medical care to the uninsured and underserved community members who reside, work, or attend higher education in the Waukesha County community. If you, a family member, a neighbor or a friend is in need of healthcare and help with community healthcare resources, please contact the clinic at 262-544-6777 and at www.sjmdc.net. Connect with them on FaceBook at www.facebook.com/St-Josephs-Medical-Clinic-Waukesha.
About St. Joseph’s Medical Clinic:
St. Joseph’s Medical Clinic is a member agency of the Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics/WAFCC [www.wafcclinics.org]. The WAFCC formed in 2014 as a result of several of the state’s free clinics coming together to recognize the need to evolve in a changing healthcare landscape. Many of the individuals in which they provide medical services may be exempt from the individual shared responsibility under ACA due to financial hardship or affordability.
About the Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics:
The mission of the Wisconsin Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (WAFCC) is to support, strengthen, and advocate for the uniqueness of the Wisconsin free and charitable clinics, the patients they serve, and the communities with whom they partner. WAFCC tells the story of Wisconsin's safety-net clinic, their communities, their patients and their continued need. Until there is no longer a need for free and charitable clinics, WAFCC will be here advocating for Wisconsin's vulnerable populations and for the elimination of health disparities.
About La Casa de Esperanza:
La Casa de Esperanza began in 1966 and now offers financial education, charter school and children’s programs, housing, and workforce development programs. Its mission is to provide opportunities to achieve full social and economic participation in society, with emphasis on the Hispanic population. For more information about services and programs at La Casa de Esperanza, please call at 262-547-0887 or visit www.lacasadeesperanza.org.
If you would information about enrollment efforts in your community, please contact St. Joseph’s Medical Clinic, Inc. Executive Director, Jessica Osenbrügge at 262-544-6777.
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