AARP Helps Community Understand Benefits of Health Law

Whether you have health insurance through an employer, are covered through Medicare, or are currently without coverage – now is a good time to learn how the Affordable Care Act can help you and your family.

With open enrollment beginning October 1 for residents seeking health insurance through the new online marketplace known as the Hawaii Health Connector, AARP Hawaii is hosting a telephone-town hall meeting on Saturday, September 21 at 9 a.m. to inform members and the public about the process.

Officials on the call will discuss how to find and compare coverage through the marketplace, as well as new Medicare benefits under the law (this year’s Medicare open enrollment begins October 15.) Participants will be invited to ask questions.

To learn more about the health law and its benefits, please register for this important call.

Meanwhile, here are some of the basics Hawaii residents should know:

If You Have Insurance

The Affordable Care Act ensures that no one with a pre-existing condition is denied coverage, and no dollar limits are placed on one’s care – meaning your coverage won’t stop if you become sick or injured.  For Hawaii residents with children, the law allows young adults to stay on their parents’ family plan until they reach age 26.

If You Have Medicare

If you have Medicare, new protections and benefits can help secure your health and finances.  The health care law helps lower prescription drug costs, providing more than a 50 percent discount on prescription drugs while you are in the coverage gap.

Other benefits for Medicare beneficiaries:

• Hawaii residents with Medicare who were in the Part D prescription drug coverage gap have saved a total of more than $6.9 million on prescription drugs.
• Hawaii residents saved an average of $375 on their drugs while in the Medicare coverage gap in 2012.
• 79,597 Hawaii residents with Medicare used free preventative services in 2012.
• 2,811 Hawaii residents with Medicare used the annual wellness visit in 2012.

 

If You Don’t Have Health Insurance


In Hawaii, about 100,000 residents – 8 percent of our population – are uninsured.  If you are uninsured or having difficulty finding coverage, the Affordable Care Act has new programs and resources that can help secure your family’s heath and finances.   The law ensures no one with a pre-existing condition is denied coverage, and no more dollar limits are placed on one’s care.

To learn more about how the Affordable Care Act benefits you now and in the future, visit AARP’s Health Law Answers tool.

Health Law Answers is fast and easy to use.  Answer a few simple questions and receive a personalized report that explains benefits and protections such as expanded coverage for preventive care and screenings and protections against insurance cancellations. It also describes the specific programs and resources that are available for Hawaii residents who are uninsured or who are having difficulty finding coverage.

To request a speaker on the health care law, call AARP Hawaii Outreach Director Jackie Boland at 808-545-6003.