New Help for Farm Families Struggling With Health Insurance

Saturday, December 4th, 2021 -- 7:08 AM

There is new help for farm families struggling with the challenge of paying for health insurance.

According to the Clark County UW-Extension Office, we know that farmers prioritize having health insurance, over 90% of farmers are covered, yet this number doesn’t tell the whole story. Research shows that two out of three farmers have a preexisting health condition, and one in three farms has a family member whose health problems make farming difficult. And, half of all farm families have at least one adult working a second full-time job, often primarily to get health insurance coverage. This pulls time and energy away from farm work. We want you to know about the new opportunities to afford good quality coverage for 2022 plans, so that you can make the best decisions to support the needs of your family and your farm. It’s time for farmers to take another look at Healthcare.gov. Right now, thanks to COVID relief, health insurance prices are lower than ever before and there is no cap on who can get help paying for a plan.

No one will pay more than 8.5% of their income. This means that you may now find an affordable plan, even if you did not in the past. It’s time to take care of you. Enroll by December 15th for coverage to start January 1st, 2022. If you miss that date, you can still sign up until January 15th for coverage starting February 1st. Free, local unbiased experts are here to help you find the best plan for your health and budget. Certified Application Counselors and Health Insurance Navigators provide free help to find plans and best prices; sign up for HealthCare.gov, BadgerCare Plus or Medicaid; get answers to your health insurance questions, big or small; and solve billing or coverage problems. Call 1-800-942-5420 to make an appointment with a local health insurance expert at Family Health Center.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.