For anyone with questions about getting health insurance, or worried about making the right choice — two enrollment events this weekend could help.
And the timing is right. There’s less than one month left in the “open enrollment” period for Washington Healthplanfinder. The deadline is Feb. 15 to be able to purchase insurance with discounts available only through the Healthplanfinder website. Anyone without insurance could face a penalty when they file their income tax return.
A multicultural enrollment event and health fair in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood will feature bilingual assistance in at least six languages, with a special focus on Spanish. The event will include free health screenings, information about nursing careers, and tax assistance. A number of community groups helped organize and promote this event, reaching out to communities that might miss the mainstream advertising campaigns for Washington Healthplanfinder. Details below.
And, at Northgate Mall, Public Health–Seattle & King County joins with local agencies across the state as part of Healthplanfinder’s It’s About Time: Enrollment Drive.
Details:
- South Seattle, Saturday Jan. 24 — 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm — South Park Information and Resource Center, 8201 10th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108. Languages include Spanish, English, Russian, Tagalog, Amharic, Somali and Vietnamese.
- North Seattle, Sunday Jan. 25 — 11:00 am to 3:00 pm — Northgate Mall (Ben Bridge Court), 401 Northeast Northgate Way, Seattle, WA 98125. Languages include English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Amharic.
At either of these large events — or at any of the enrollment help sites available throughout King County, every day — the help is free and comes from trained experts, called Navigators. Just show up.
To speed up your application, have this information available for all household members: birth date, social security number, and annual income before taxes and deductions, along with a passport, alien or other immigration number for immigrants.
* Note: Although “open enrollment” ends on Feb. 15, it’s open year-round for people whose income qualifies for Apple Health (Medicaid), and to people who experience a major life event, such as losing a job, getting married or having a baby.