Unemployment Benefits and
2021 Marketplace Plans
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If you received unemployment benefits for at least one week in 2021, you may qualify for $0 and low-cost health insurance premium options when you shop for health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado! To find out whether you qualify for $0 and low-cost health insurance plans, and to see all the plans available to you, contact a health coverage guide at 720-458-6185.
Enrollment is open through August 15, but the sooner you apply and enroll, the sooner your coverage will begin.
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FAQ
How do I know how much financial help I can get?
The amount of financial help you get is based off the cost of the second-lowest-cost Silver plan in your area (also called the “benchmark plan”). We will provide [EH1] your household with tax credits that will cover the entire cost of the benchmark plan’s premium. However, you can apply this financial help to any plan you choose. For example, if you purchase a more expensive plan you will pay the difference between the "benchmark plan" and the more expensive plan.
My job/my spouse’s job offers health insurance coverage. Can I still get the $0 premium option if I buy a plan with Connect for Health Colorado?
The most common reason someone may not qualify for tax credits when you received or while receiving unemployment during 2021 is if you have access to affordable health insurance coverage through an employer, your spouse’s employer, Health First Colorado, or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+). It is very important to know about any other health coverage and the cost of that coverage you may have access to before applying for this benefit.
If I qualify for $0 premium options, do I still need to include the unemployment benefits in my application?
Yes. Unemployment benefits should be reported as income in your Connect for Health Colorado application. You will still report the premium tax credits you received with the IRS when you file your 2021 federal income tax return.
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TIPS TO GET HIGHER CREDITS WITH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN
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You will see the benefit of your new Advanced Premium Tax Credit amount on your plan premium on the first of the following month after enrollment, and you will see the rest of the APTC from earlier in the year when you file your 2021 taxes (unless you have a significant change in income).
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Household members who do not currently have any income will still see the unemployment benefit insurance question in their application. This allows for a $0 or reduced cost plan premium (if applicable for the household) after the annual income screen.
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Increased Food Assistance
Benefits to Continue
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Thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act, people receiving SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program) will continue to get 15% more money in food benefits through September 2021. For families getting food assistance, this will increase the amount of money received before COVID to about $28.00 more per person, per month. For example, a family of four could get over $100.00 more a month in food assistance. To learn more about food assistance, click here.
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National Monthly Observations
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It seems that every day, week, and month has some sort of “national awareness” attached to it. Many bring awareness to important topics, such as National Mental Health Awareness Month, and some are just fun to observe, like National Donut Day. With over 40 different awareness campaigns in the month of May alone, how can we keep track of them all!? Since Doctors Care is a medical facility, we thought we should share a few that are near and dear to us:
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Click here to learn more about this neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.
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National Dental Care Awareness
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Click here to learn more about how to keep your dental hygiene in tip top shape!
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National Blood
Pressure Education
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Click here to learn how to keep your blood pressure healthy!
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Click here to learn the signs and symptoms of a heart attack and stroke.
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National Mental Health Awareness Month
Depression, anxiety, and deaths by suicide along with many other behavioral health issue are at an all-time high during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than ever, it is important to take care of your mental health. Mental (behavioral) health affects the way a person thinks, feels, and the way they act. It is often easier for us to focus on our physical health because our physical health is easier to define through aches and pains, itches, and other things we can explain or even have physical evidence of.
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