Fairs offer aid to uninsured

Several organizations are offering events for uninsured New Mexicans in Curry and Roosevelt counties this month to help people find health insurance before the enrollment deadline Feb. 15.

“If you don’t have insurance and you need to get it, this is the only time you can enroll without penalty,” said David Briseno, the director of outreach for La Casa Family Health.

Linda Wedeen is the director of communications and outreach at BeWellNM. She said the regional enrollment outreach fair at Plains Regional Medical Center on Jan. 19 will have educators and brokers available to answer questions and assist with the process of enrolling in a plan through the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange.

Briseno said La Casa Family Health is also hosting three enrollment events in Clovis and three in Portales this month. Briseno said certified enrollment counselors will assist people in finding insurance through the NMHIX as well as assisting qualified people with Medicaid.

All citizens are eligible to use the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange, which offers financial assistance and doesn’t deny coverage for pre-existing health conditions. Both organizations said the events will have Spanish-speaking counselors on hand.

Briseno said the average amount of time it takes to enroll is 60 to 75 minutes.

“It depends on the person. It’s important to be really prepared,” Wedeen said. “Shop around on BeWell.nm to find out about your eligibility for subsidies and figure out what kinds of insurance you want based on what you can afford.”

The penalty for not having insurance in 2015 is 2 percent of an individual’s yearly household income above $10,000, or $325 per adult and $162.50 per child in a family, whichever is higher.

The next open enrollment period will begin Oct. 15, Wedeen said. The only way to enroll in between the open enrollment periods is in the case of a life-changing event.

For information call the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange at 1-855-996-6449, or La Casa Family Health Center at 575-769-5030.

Clovis enrollment events:

• Lincoln Jackson Family Center, 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday

• Plains Regional Medical Center, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Jan. 19

• Clovis Community College, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Jan. 20

• La Casa Family Health Center- Clovis, 9 a.m. to noon, Jan. 31

Portales enrollment events:

• La Casa Family Health Center-Portales, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday

• Eastern New Mexico University Computer Center Room 108, 9 a.m. to noon, Jan. 24

• ENMU Computer Center Room 108, 9 a.m. to noon, Jan. 27

All applicants should bring completed W2 forms, pay stubs, tax returns, a Social Security number, two forms of identification, a current email address and password, and Healthcare.gov login information.