Doggett urges Texans to get health coverage before Jan. 15 and to watch out for flex cards

Two things remain true every November: the unfortunate fact that Texas is the most uninsured state in the nation – almost 20 percent – and U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett’s long-running campaign to change that. On Wednesday, at Foundation Communities’ Prosper South location, Doggett made his annual pitch for Texans to get covered by Jan. 15 – or, if you already are, find out “what is the best policy this year for your family to get the care you need at the best price.”

Getting the word out is especially important this year, Doggett said, “because we have seen so many of our neighbors thrown off of their coverage through Medicaid by Gov. (Greg) Abbott in the so-called redetermination, which has denied health care to so many people.” Earlier this year, more than 2 million Texans lost access to a family physician and will have to reapply for Medicaid coverage, due to bureaucratic procedural errors. 

Prosper works with HAAM to enroll around 2,100 musicians annually, especially because “a lot of them are younger and don’t realize they need insurance,” said HAAM CEO Paul Scott. Austin musician and HAAM member Raul Ochoa spoke at the press conference, saying, “I’m one of those 2,100 musicians that didn’t know they needed health insurance – I was young and thought I was immortal. In 2018, I was having lunch with a friend and starting feeling a little sick. I ended up in the ICU for four days with liver complications. My booking agent helped get me in contact with HAAM, and by extension the SIMS Foundation, and got me into therapy. I’ve been sober for six years now. HAAM is essential.”

“There are still so many of the working poor in our community that don’t think this is a priority until something bad happens to their family,” Doggett warned. “So we’re here just to remind people that it won’t cost you anything to get signed up, to come by and get expert advice, and you could get access to a plan you never thought would be available to your family.”

Doggett’s office also warned seniors last week about private Medicare Advantage plans offering “flex” debit cards to spend on utilities, groceries or medical equipment during open enrollment. Not only are they sometimes marketed misleadingly – obscuring the dollar amounts and restrictions on what they can be used for – but because of federal regulatory flexibility, they’re being counted as income in eligibility determinations for other benefits like rental assistance. According to Axios, plans targeted to disabled and low-income older adults specifically are featuring them more, and almost half of all Medicare Advantage plans will feature them next year. Doggett and Medicare advocates are pressuring the Biden administration to clarify that the cards shouldn’t be considered income throughout the open enrollment period.

“If you receive any form of federal assistance such as for housing or food, be aware that the use of these cards could reduce your federal assistance. I’ve urged @POTUS to intervene,” Doggett stated in a press release last week. 

To get enrolled in Affordable Care Act coverage, go to www.prosperhealthcoverage.org or call 512-381-4520. Have your Social Security number, income, projected income for next year (Foundation Communities can help you calculate that), 2023 tax return and healthcare.gov username and password at the ready – or get the full list of requirements once you start the process. Prosper has a multilingual staff and is available to anyone regardless of language or immigration status. Enrollment begins today, Nov. 1, and runs through Jan. 15 – but in order to avoid a gap in coverage, you need to enroll before Dec. 15.

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