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Inclusive Health Targets the Uninsured in Southeast N.C.
 
Inclusive Health Targets the Uninsured in Southeast N.C.
February 3, 2010
Contact: Amy Myers, Public Relations, Brunswick Community Hospital
Phone: 910-755-1244
Email: almyers@novanthealth.org
Premium subsidy expected to draw additional applicants to enrollment sessions.
TABOR CITY, NC - William Roy admits his weight used to be an issue, and he has Type 2 Diabetes. When his employer stopped offering health insurance, Roy found he was uninsurable by traditional insurers.
???Nobody wanted to take me in so I was one of the Americans without health insurance,??? said Roy, a minister with Old Zion Wesleyan Church.
But last April, Roy found coverage through Inclusive Health, a state program offering affordable insurance to individuals with pre-existing medical conditions. Representatives from Inclusive Health are enrolling people to the program in Shallotte and Whiteville on Feb. 17 and 19, respectively. Brunswick Community Hospital is a partner in bringing this event to Shallotte.
The events will team trained agents with applicants to Inclusive Health ??? also known as the North Carolina Health Insurance Risk Pool (NCHIRP) ??? to assist with policy questions, possibly qualifying for the new premium subsidy, comparing rates with other policies and helping determine if Inclusive Health is right for them.
When: Wednesday, Feb. 17 Friday, Feb. 19
Where: Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation (BEMC) Community Room 795 Ocean Highway (Hwy 17 North) Shallotte, NC Columbus Regional Healthcare System Education Department 500 Jefferson Street Whiteville, NC
What: 11 a.m. ??? 2 p.m. Open enrollment??? assistance available for residents to apply for coverage.

11 a.m. ??? There will be a brief presentation detailing the program and allowing the media and public to ask questions about Inclusive Health.

Why: The state created Inclusive Health as an affordable option for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions who lack access to group coverage or other government programs like Medicare or Medicaid. It also covers North Carolinians who have exhausted COBRA and trade displaced workers.
Inclusive Health has targeted Columbus and Brunswick counties with expectations that many residents could qualify for a subsidy program called Inclusive Health Assist that went into effect Jan. 1. It offers discounted premiums to eligible individuals with annual incomes up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level on a first-come first-serve basis. The grant funding was awarded to fund Inclusive Health Assist by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under a federal High Risk Pool Operational Loss Grant Program.
???In North Carolina, there are approximately 200,000 individuals who may be eligible for Inclusive Health because they have pre-existing conditions and lack access to affordable health coverage,??? said Keough. ???We know there are individuals here who could benefit from Inclusive Health and expect many local residents in this region will be able to qualify for this premium subsidy.???
Since it started offering coverage January 2009, Inclusive Health has approved over 4,000 applications. Many of members have offered to talk about their experience to bolster the effort to get more North Carolinians covered. Roy???s wife, Beth, saw how pleased Roy was with his coverage and moved to Inclusive Health. Unlike Billy, she was able to find insurance through a traditional insurer, but her premium was extremely high and the amount of medication it would cover for her migraines was capped.
???I???ve been suffering with these migraines for many, many years,??? said Roy, a secretary with Columbus Christian Academy. ???It???s been a piece of mind knowing that I have the coverage and that the premium isn???t going to suddenly go higher.???
Together, the Roys pay $675 in monthly premiums ??? the coverage Beth had for just her was $638. Each are grateful to have insurance, the ability to stay with their own physicians, their same pharmacy and the medicines their doctors prescribe without a cap from Inclusive Health on what???s allowable.
???It???s just a daily risk ??? I travel a lot and am on the road. At any time, anything could happen ??? like an accident. Before I got into better shape, I was probably a heart attack victim waiting to happen,??? Billy Roy said. ???We would have been sunk financially the rest of our life without medical insurance.???
Anyone interested in the program is encouraged to visit the Web site, www.inclusivehealth.org, which includes a list of items to bring to enrollment events.
???These events offer the opportunity to learn more about Inclusive Health and see if our coverage is right for someone like Bill and Beth,??? said Keough. ???We are grateful to the Roys for sharing their experience and helping us to raise awareness about Inclusive Health.???
www.inclusivehealth.org ~ North Carolina Health Insurance Risk Pool, Inc.
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