Wis. residents might qualify for national emergency health insurance coverage

MARSHFIELD – Security Health Plan of Wisconsin, Inc., urges Wisconsin residents who have lost their health insurance in 2020 to see if they qualify for the recently-announced national emergency special enrollment period (SEP).

This SEP, which is effective now, is available to any Wisconsin resident who qualified for an SEP in 2020 but missed the deadline because they were impacted by COVID-19.

This SEP qualifies anyone who lost their health insurance coverage through their employer due to a layoff or job loss to obtain coverage from the Federally Facilitated Exchange (FFE), also known as the Marketplace or HealthCare.gov. This coverage may be more affordable than the health insurance extension they may currently have from their employer under the federal COBRA provision. In addition, some may be eligible for free or low-cost coverage through BadgerCare, or qualify for financial assistance.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced how critical access to quality health care is for everyone,” Security Health Plan Chief Growth Officer Marty Anderson said in a news release. “We want to ensure everyone in Wisconsin has health insurance coverage and is able to get the health care they need when they need it.”

Typically an SEP is only available for 60 days after a qualifying life event, but under this SEP individuals are eligible for coverage if they missed their SEP deadline because they were impacted by COVID-19, including if the individual or a family member was sick with the virus.

Anderson said Security Health Plan staff is available to help answer any questions people may have about obtaining coverage through the FFE and urges them to call 844-679-9733.

Wisconsin residents who had a qualifying life event other than a loss of coverage more than 60 days ago and missed their SEP should contact the Marketplace Call Center at 800-318-2596 (TTY 855-889-4325). Other qualifying life events for an SEP include changes in household, such as getting married or divorced, having a baby or a death in the family; moving to a different ZIP code or county.