UPTOWN — With the deadline approaching for 2016 coverage under the Affordable Care Act, officials are pushing uninsured members of the LGBT community to enroll.
Although the percentage of LGBTQ adults without health insurance has declined since the Affordable Care Act took full effect in 2014, "significant numbers of LGBTQ individuals remain uninsured," U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) announced in a news release.
On Tuesday, Quigley, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and U.S. Health and Human Services officials will help register the uninsured and answer questions at the Howard Brown Health Center, 4025 N. Sheridan Road. Regsistration begins at 9:30.
Officials will give information about penalties for those who don't enroll for health coverage and discuss President Barack Obama's "Healthy Communities Challenge," a nationwide contest to sign up more people for health insurance. The effort targets 20 cities, including Chicago. Prizes include a personal visit from President Barack Obama.
Jan. 15 is the last day to enroll in new coverage or make plan changes that will take effect in February. On Jan. 31, open enrollment ends. Changes made between Jan. 16 and Jan. 31 take effect in March.
"If you don’t enroll in a 2016 health insurance plan by January 31, 2016, you can’t enroll in a health insurance plan for 2016 unless you qualify for a special enrollment period," according to healthcare.gov.
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