New health insurance enrollment center helps Spokane residents select plans

With a budget already squeezed by rent and car insurance payments, Brandi and Joel Pendleton worried about how they’d afford monthly health insurance premiums.

The Spokane couple were the first customers through the door Tuesday when the Washington Health Benefit Exchange opened a new enrollment center on Division Street.

The Pendletons, who are in their 20s, both work as front desk clerks in the hospitality industry. Their income recently went up, which means they could no longer qualify for Apple Health, Washington’s free health insurance through Medicaid.

“I’ve been stressing out about this,” said Joel Pendleton. “We called around, and we were quoted prices of $250 to $300 per month for each of us, which was kind of ridiculous.”

With the help of a navigator at the new enrollment center, they found a plan that will cover both of them for a little over $100 per month, with a $550 deductible and $1,500 in out-of-pocket costs. The couple qualified for tax credits, which reduced the cost of their premiums, said Kiersten Burke, the navigator.

“Within five minutes of talking to Kiersten, we had something we could afford,” said Brandi Pendleton.

They left with relief, and assurance that their insurance plan would cover more than catestrophic health emergencies, she said.

Over the next three months, the center’s operators expect to see about 1,000 clients. The center will run through Jan. 31, which is the last day of the open enrollment period for health insurance. As in previous years, there’s a penalty for people who forego buying health insurance; the 2017 penalty is the higher of either a percentage of income or a flat rate that hasn’t been announced.

Better Health Together received a $48,000 state grant to run the enrollment center, said Curtis Fackler, a manager for the nonprofit, which is a subsidiary of the Empire Health Foundation.

Five navigators, who work part-time, will answer questions about health insurance plans and help clients determine whether they’re eligible for financal assistance. One of the navigators is fluent in Spanish. An insurance broker will also be available to address more complicated issues, including questions about Medicare.

Navigators will also provide information about dental insurance, which is new this year, Fackler said. Three insurers are offering 12 different dental plans through the state’s exchange. However, people must buy a qualified health plan before they can buy dental insurance.

Appointments are recommended. In addition to the regular business hours, the center’s staff can make special arrangements to accommodate peoples’ work schedules, Fackler said.

Since this is the fourth open enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act, many people already feel comfortable selecting a plan, Fackler said. But some families, such as the Pendletons, are coming off of Apple Health and need to sign up for a different plan. Others have complex issues and benefit from being able to talk face-to-face to with a navigator, he said.

The enrollment center is one of two that opened statewide. The other location is in Vancouver.

The storefronts are designed to reach high-need individuals and families who might not have access to computers, said Pam MacEwan, the Washington Health Benefit Exchange’s chief executive officer.

Better Health Together picked the Division Street location for its high visibility, location on a bus route and access to low-income neighborhoods, Fackler said.

Division is the boundary for the 99205 and the 99207 ZIP codes, which have the highest numbers of uninsured residents in Spokane, Fackler said.

About 30,000 cars pass by the new center daily.

“It’s a good location,” Fackler said. “We’re right across the street from Mountain Gear, and everyone knows where that is.”