PCS office offers help for open healthcare enrollment

Help is available for residents trying to figure out how to secure health insurance for their families thanks to Panhandle Community Services (PCS) in Clarendon.

“We have a local enrollment office staffed by trained healthcare.gov navigators,” said PCS Assistant Director for Health Services Kaitlin Mosley. “Our enrollment specialists provide free, in person assistance to individuals who need help signing up for or re-enrolling in health insurance.”

November 1 through December 15 is open enrollment time through healthcare.gov.

Mosley said the local PCS office in the Christ’s Kids building at 416 S. Kearney is open every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“We also have a family development specialist who is in and out of the office during the week and is available for appointments by calling 874-2573,” Mosley said.

PCS says eight out of ten people who enrolled in health coverage through HealthCare.gov qualify for financial help to make their monthly premiums more affordable and that signing up for a quality insurance plan is often cheaper than people think.

Mosley said the health insurance assistance is for working people who have some sort of job to provide income for their families, but she also said that people who don’t qualify for a subsidy can still benefit from letting PCS help them navigate healthinsurance.gov.

“We have farmers – who are basically self-employed – that use our services to help find the best health insurance for themselves and their families,” Mosley said.

Mosley said people just need to bring their recent W2 form or earnings statement along with their Social Security number to get started.

At the appointment, the PCS specialist will talk through options and share other important advice, including how to qualify for financial help, how to start an application, or how to enroll.

The PCS also offers help throughout the year to assist low income residents in applying for benefits such as Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and Chip.

To find out more, call Panhandle Community Services at 874-2573.