Jenni Marsh column: Act now to maintain your health insurance coverage | Columns

Understanding insurance options and changes can be very confusing.

Luckily, free help is available so you can understand your health insurance options — and the actions you need to take to get and stay protected.

Thanks to Covering Kids and Families (CKF), Navigator connects eligible people for benefits to help their health, finances and communities.

Navigator can help aspiring and current consumers explore state and federal options, including the marketplace, to take advantage of available programs and understand changes so they can stay insured.

During the pandemic, participants in Indiana’s health care programs (HIP, Hoosier Healthwise, and Medicaid) automatically extended their benefits. Starting April 1, the state returns to pre-pandemic processes, and participants must go through a reassignment to maintain their health insurance coverage.

It is very important that individuals and families currently enrolled in one of these programs check their email for notifications and directions about these changes and take the necessary action to update their benefits.

The main thing for anyone in this situation to know is, fear not, help is here!

CKF Heart of Indiana United Way Coalition Director Julie Barton and coalition navigators assist people as they explore their options, register, maintain, and update their coverage.

Navigators are impartial and their services are free. They help ensure plans are accepted by the medical providers that people choose. And they help those who are eligible to enroll and redefine or renew an appropriate Indiana state health insurance plan.

More than ever, CKF Navigators are focused on helping traditionally underserved people access affordable health care coverage and stay insured. Navigators are employed by hospitals and medical centers throughout Madison County. Navigator also partners with the Madison County Health Department to offer information and registration opportunities at its mobile unit locations.

Anyone in Indiana can access help with health insurance inquiries, information, and registration thanks to CKF’s navigators.

Appointments, including virtual options, can be made at www.ckfindiana.org or by calling 1-888-975-4CKF. Information is also available by calling Heart of Indiana United Way at 765-608-3062.

Get it and stay covered!

Jenny Mars is the president and CEO of the Heart of Indiana United Way. His column is published on the fourth Saturday of each month in The Herald Bulletin.