Minnesota Ag Connection - NFMC: Farm Families Have Health Insurance Options

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NFMC: Farm Families Have Health Insurance Options
Minnesota Ag Connection - 04/01/2020

The Marshfield Clinic's National Farm Medicine Center says rural families who may be losing non-farm jobs that carry health insurance because of the COVID-19 pandemic do have some options to consider. Florence Becot, Ph.D., a rural sociologist and associate scientist with the NFMC, says health insurance marketplaces and eligibility criteria for public coverage vary from one state to another.

"Loss of job-based health insurance coverage is a qualifying event to purchase coverage outside of the open enrollment period and this can be a cheaper alternative to paying for continuation of employer-based health coverage through COBRA," Becot said.

She says a search for coverage could start by contacting an insurance agent or checking your state's health insurance exchange at: https://www.healthcare.gov

As of March 26, nearly a dozen states have re-opened their health insurance exchange for a special enrollment period, Becot noted. They include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is also considering opening a special enrollment period for the 32 states that are run by the federal government.

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