Midwest leaders from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Services are reminding rural uninsured residents that the deadline to enroll for healthcare is coming soon. The next open window in the Health Insurance Marketplace under the Affordable Care Act closes on Sunday.
Stan Gruszynski is state USDA Rural Development Director. He says prior to the the Act, rural families paid nearly 50 percent of health care costs out of pocket. He says nearly one in five farmers are in debt because of medical bills....
".....the areas of the state where there is the least access to healthcare and also where it was the most difficult to get insurance is in rural Wisconsin..."
Gruszynski says about 7 out of 10 state enrollees are eligible for plans costing $75 dollars a month or less in premiums after tax credits are applied. He says 8 in 10 rural residents could save more than $800 each year in premiums before tax credits. Former state Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Falk, who now works for Health and Human Services says enrollment in Wisconsin has been strong but many people are still without healthcare coverage. Falk says rural residents tend to have more chronic conditions like diabetes and heart conditions. Falk also says they have a tougher time finding health care....
".....we know that before the Affordable Care Act, on average, rural uninsured were paying 50 percent of their health care costs out of pocket. We know 1 in 5 farmers were in debt because of medical bills. We know rural residents suffer from higher rates of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure...."
Falk says nationally, 8.8 million Americans have signed up for coverage with 224,000 coming from Wisconsin. Both recommended going to the Health Insurance Marketplace at healthcare. gov or call 800-318-2596 for more information.
