Valley Health Connections offers assistance for Open Enrollment

Valley Health Connections will once again be providing in-person enrollment assistance for Vermont Health Connect Open Enrollment to residents of Windsor and Windham County, starting Nov. 1 and ending on Dec. 15.

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2017-10-25 / Front Page Valley Health Connections offers assistance for Open Enrollment RoseAnne McCarthy, Eligibility Assistance Coordinator with Valley Health Connections, speaks to a recent visitor. - COURTESY PHOTORoseAnne McCarthy, Eligibility Assistance Coordinator with Valley Health Connections, speaks to a recent visitor. - COURTESY PHOTOSPRINGFIELD — Valley Health Connections will once again be providing in-person enrollment assistance for Vermont Health Connect Open Enrollment to residents of Windsor and Windham County, starting Nov. 1 and ending on Dec. 15. “Over the last year, they provided almost 4,000 assists to Vermonters who were trying to enroll in insurance through Vermont Health Connect,” said Executive Director Lynn Raymond-Empey. Valley Health Connections provides in-person assistance to Vermonters to help them get insured, and stay insured. For those who are uninsured, and not Medicaid eligible, this will be their only opportunity to sign up for health insurance for 2018, according to a press release. Open Enrollment will also be one of the only times that Vermonters can review their current insurance plan selection and make a change. “Health insurance is extremely complex, and Valley Health Connections is here to answer questions and provide information to assist Vermonters in their plan selection decisions,” said Raymond-Empey. As a member of the Vermont Coalition of Clinics for the Uninsured, Valley Health has an excellent success rate with helping patients from all age groups get insured. “We regularly have an 89-90 percent success rate getting Vermonters insured. This is because we follow up and stick with our patients until the end of the process, and we know they are able to access care and have a primary care provider,” said Raymond-Empey. Unfortunately there are Vermonters who cannot afford any of their insurance options. Valley Health Connections spends a significant amount of time working with uninsured patients to make sure they still get the care they need, as well as trying to help those who may be underinsured get the medical, mental, dental or pharmacy care they need, according to the press release. Valley Health Connections has four certified navigators available, and will assist Vermont residents at the following locations: The main Springfield location at 268 River St.; the Springfield Health Center; the Rockingham Medical Group; and in partnership with Neighborhood Connections in Londonderry. The organization is also working to identify a temporary location in the Brattleboro area. The process starts with a call to Valley Health Connections at (802) 885-1616 to do a brief intake and set up an appointment. “My final suggestion would be call now to schedule an appointment at a convenient location, don’t wait to call us on Dec. 14,” said Raymond-Empey. Further information on Vermont Health Connect can be found at vermonthealthconnect.gov or by calling (855) 899-9600.