West Virginians who are interested in free, in-person help in learning how they might obtain health insurance under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are invited to attend an information session Friday, Jan. 30, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the State Fairgrounds, WVU Building, 891 Maplewood Avenue, in Fairlea. Partners in Health Network, Advanced Patient Advocacy and the West Virginia Primary Care Association, working under a cooperative agreement with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will provide information about how the new health insurance exchange operates under the ACA. They also will show people how they can sign up for low-cost health insurance plans. No appointment is necessary and there is no charge for the educational session or enrollment assistance. The open enrollment period for 2015 ends Feb. 15. If the deadline is missed, in most cases, you cannot get coverage again until 2016. For 2015, if you do not have health insurance, you may have to pay a penalty when you file your taxes. The penalty is $325 per person or 2 percent of your annual income, whichever is greater. In 2014, 86 percent of West Virginians qualified for financial help in obtaining health care coverage. More information is available at: www.bewv.com. That site includes resources for enrollment help, a calendar of enrollment events and an overview of facts and other information about the Affordable Care Act.
