Information available at Badger High School ACA Awareness Labs on Thursdays
The Walworth County ACA Awareness Steering Committee is aware of some residents going to the incorrect website to seek Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) marketplace information and are now being harassed to purchase non-subsidized insurance outside of the marketplace.
To help Walworth County residents avoid marketplace fraud the Walworth County ACA Awareness Steering Committee has created a safe place to ask questions and seek in-person assistance applying for marketplace insurance.
Badger High School, 220 E. South St., Lake Geneva, has opened their computer lab, Room 620, to the public for Marketplace Assistance Thursdays through March 27, 2014, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays, Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Jan. 18, Feb. 15, and March 15 from 9 a.m. to noon.
The lab will not be open on Thanksgiving or during Winter Break (Dec. 21 through Jan. 5). Marketplace certified insurance agents and ACA Mobilizer volunteers staffed by Volunteer Connections Inc. have completed background checks and are available to answer marketplace questions, assist with creating a marketplace account, answer questions about insurance terms and concepts, and to point visitors to official resources to answer their questions.
The volunteers are there to provide residents with accurate information.
The ACA informational labs are on a first-come-first serve basis; however, appointments may be made with an insurance agent or mobilizer by calling (262) 949-2971 or emailing walcoacaawareness@gmail.com.
Only use .gov websites
The committee wants to remind everyone that the official website and only website to receive tax-credits and cost-sharing is at Healthcare.gov (English) or CuidadoDeSalud.gov (Spanish) … not .com nor .org. Go to .gov only.
Here are a few tips to avoid fraud:
• look for the official government seal and logo shown here when visiting websites or seeking information;
• as a reminder no one should be calling you asking for your personal information;
• never give your personal health or financial information to someone who calls or comes to your home uninvited, even if they say they are from the marketplace;
• keep personal and account numbers private – don’t give your Social Security Number or credit card or banking information to companies you didn’t contact or in response to unsolicited advertisements;
• double check any information that is confusing or sounds fishy by visiting Healthcare.gov (English) or CuidadoDeSalud.gov (Spanish)or calling (800) 318-2596 TTY (855)889-4325.
Report suspected fraud
If you suspect fraud, report it by calling the Health Insurance Marketplace consumer call center at (800) 318-2596, TYY (855) 889-4325. Or contact your local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies or your stated department of insurance.
If you suspect you may have been the victim of identity theft, or feel like you gave your personal information to someone you shouldn’t have, call your local police department and the Federal Trade Commission’s ID Theft Hotline at (877) 438-4338, TYY (866) 653-4261.
Visit ftc.gov/idtheft to learn more about identity theft.
Tips on how to avoid fraud are available at marketplace.cms.gov/getofficialresources/publications-and-articles/protect-yourself-from-fraud-in-health-insurance-marketplace.pdf.
The Walworth County Affordable Care Act Awareness Steering Committee is a group of community-minded volunteers whose mission is to:
1.) strategically mobilize and inform Walworth County about the Affordable Care Act, the Marketplace Health Insurance Exchange (healthcare.gov and cuidadodesalud.gov) enrollment period (Oct. 1 through March 31, 2014) and BadgerCare changes; and
2.) Reach and enroll as many of the 11,000 uninsured in Walworth County residents as possible.
The group has no government (federal, state or county) or private funding.
