Sign Up Contest Encourages Affordable Healthcare Enrollment

A sign up contest has been introduced by President Obama to encourage Americans to register for health insurance. As reported by CBS News, The President of the United States challenged Americans to sign up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act, with a competition aimed to get many more people covered.

“If you live in one of the 20 cities participating in our Healthy Communities Challenge, I want to see how many of your neighbors you can get signed up. I’ll come visit the city that enrolls the highest percentage of folks who aren’t covered right now. That’s a promise.”

Sign up has begun in the third year of open enrollment for public health insurance exchanges, and President Obama has a goal of reducing the number of people without health insurance coverage. As detailed in USA Today, the campaign is aimed at getting the cities that are home to the most uninsured, yet those most eligible for the nations marketplace plan, to sign up.

During his weekly address, the President specifically spoke of how important being covered with health insurance is. He encouraged all who are not covered, as well as those with coverage, to visit HealthCare.gov to view health insurance options available. With private insurance companies competing for business, President Obama stated, “Shopping around can save you a lot of money.”

Those who sign up for health insurance with a preexisting condition are now protected and will no longer be charged more or denied coverage. Obama specifically pointed out, “You can no longer be charged more just for being a woman.” President Obama detailed that people will have peace of mind if they get sick.

“Under the Affordable Care Act, if you want to change jobs, go back to school or chase that new idea, you can do it without worrying about going broke if you get sick.”

The sign up challenge is to encourage people to check out their health coverage options and to understand that it does not have to be costly. The President specifically mentioned in his address, “Most Americans will find an option that costs less than $75 a month.” Obama voiced how easy it is to sign up during the open enrollment season for the Health Insurance Marketplace, “With a few clicks on HealthCare.gov, you’ll find private insurance companies competing for your business.”

Mentioning, “for the first time more than 90 percent of Americans are covered,” the President is aiming to get all United State’s legal citizens health insurance coverage. He is encouraging even those with health insurance to check out the site for a chance to save money on monthly health insurance charges. Obama specifically stated, “Last year consumers who shopped saved almost $400.”

The White House proudly tweeted, “Since 2010, the uninsured rate has decreased by 45 [percent].”

"Since 2010, the uninsured rate has decreased by 45%." —@POTUS: https://t.co/1DGR85TwCV #GetCovered #ACAWorks pic.twitter.com/Km0UICN5y1

— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) November 7, 2015

The sign up competition is specifically aimed for the twenty cities who have the most eligible people in need of health insurance. Those 20 cities include Atlanta, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Nashville, Chicago, New Orleans, Dallas, Denver, Philadelphia, Detroit, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and Seattle, along with Tampa in Florida, the California cities of Oakland and Long Beach, Great Falls in Montana, Richmond in Virginia and Kansas City, Missouri.

“What we’re talking about is no longer just a law, it’s certainly not the myths and scare tactics that the cynics have peddled our way for years. This is reality, this is healthcare in America. And the bottom line is, Americans like it, they’re happy with their plans and they’re happy with their premiums,” Obama voiced in a kick to those fighting against the Affordable Care Act, and the effort to get Americans to sign up using the public health insurance exchange.

[Photo by Andrew Burton / Getty Images]