Affordable Care Act Enrollment Begins on October 1, 2013

The average income of a family receiving assistance is $12,500 per year. Most of those families have no health care coverage either because they can’t afford it, it’s not offered by their employers or they’ve been excluded due to pre-existing conditions. Many of our residents have learned first-hand that high medical bills can cause people to lose their homes or declare bankruptcy. Helping the 48 million+ uninsured Americans has been a high priority for President Obama.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan explains, in this video blog post, how HUD’s mission of building strong, healthy communities is can be furthered when we share information about the Affordable Care Act with our tenants.

On October 1, 2013, the Health Insurance Marketplace opens in every state. Anyone can see if their family qualifies for Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or subsidized health insurance premiums by visiting HealthCare.gov

The website will be used to enroll families in coverage that will begin as early as January 1, 2014, and can help connect people to local agencies who can help HUD-assisted tenants make their own insurance choices. Customer service representatives, available in 140 languages, are available toll-free at 800-318-2596.