ACA Open Enrollment More Vital than Ever As Deadline Looms for Most States

UnidosUS makes final push to urge eligible Latinos to enroll before December 15

WASHINGTON, DC—UnidosUS (formerly the National Council of La Raza), is urging everyone who is eligible for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to take action and enroll by the December 15 deadline for coverage that will begin on January 1, 2021.

This Open Enrollment period, UnidosUS launched its eighth annual bilingual awareness campaign that included a flurry of online activity to bring attention to enrollment deadlines, ways to enroll and the availability of financial help. UnidosUS also hosted an informative virtual town hall emphasizing this information and that, despite ongoing threats, the ACA remains the law of the land. In addition, UnidosUS Affiliates are continuing to enroll the Latino community in health coverage during this unprecedented year.

“UnidosUS has long worked to address health disparities, including closing historic gaps in coverage and care. There is greater urgency and import given this historic pandemic and economic crisis in which the Latino community has experienced disproportionate harm. For the eighth year now, we are executing a bilingual open enrollment awareness campaign and encouraging all who are eligible to enroll and have peace of mind knowing they and their loved ones will be covered in 2021,” said Steven Lopez, UnidosUS Senior Director of Health Policy.

Since 2013, the ACA has provided 20 million Americans, including four million Latino adults and 600,000 Latino children, with access to health coverage. However, a shorter enrollment window, drastic cuts to ACA navigator funds for in-person assistance and threatening immigration enforcement policies have hindered many eligible people from enrolling. Prior to the pandemic, 19 percent of Latinos were living without insurance, compared to 6 percent of non-Hispanic Whites. The number of uninsured people has increased following massive job losses due to COVID-19.

The 2021 Open Enrollment period ends on December 15, 2020. Information about health plans and how to enroll is available online at healthcare.gov or cuidadodesalud.gov. In-person or virtual assistance can be found at localhelp.healthcare.gov or by phone at (800) 318-2596.

UnidosUS, previously known as NCLR (National Council of La Raza), is the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. For more information on UnidosUS, visit www.unidosus.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter