Health insurance might not be your choice of dinner conversation but it is an important aspect of our lives that many people do not take advantage of or understand fully.
“Insurance is really a key thing [from a] preventive standpoint. You get a preventive checkup every year, go to health screenings and [get] all the benefits. We always try and emphasize this to people,” said Steven Abramson, the Director of Development and Marketing at ChapCare. ChapCare sees over 15,000 unduplicated patients per year in medical, dental and behavioral health visits and have-on-site pharmacy and vision services as well.
ChapCare has made it an organizational priority to help educate the community on their options under the Affordable Care Act, and to help them enroll in health coverage. The organization is a Navigator grantee through Covered California, one of only 68 in the state. “We’re the only Navigator grantee in the northwest San Gabriel Valley. So we’ve really taken a leadership role in the city of Pasadena and the surrounding areas,” said Abramson.
He explained that most people do not have health insurance because they are misinformed about their out-of-pocket costs, do not know they may be able to receive financial assistance to help pay their premiums, or believe they will not be eligible. “Information is beneficial because I think once people really understand what the benefits are they will want to enroll,” said Abramson.
Abramson said about 75%-80% of ChapCare’s patients have health insurance but they are hoping to continue to increase that percentage through education and enrollment assistance.
For more information on your health care options and to receive enrollment assistance, please call (626) 486-9729 or visit ChapCare’s website at www.chapcare.org.
