When I retired from full-time work six years ago, I lost health insurance through my employer. I started a small business and asked my insurance broker what my options were during the transition. He helped me navigate all the available insurance plans. When he calculated my premium for my wife and I, there was a pretty significant gap between the government subsidy under the Affordable Care Act and the total cost. I knew I had a problem with the limited income from my small business.
I was—and still am—too young for Medicare (I have 6 more years to go). Our family income was too high to qualify for Medicaid. We’re in that unfortunate gap between eligibility and affordability. On top of that, I have a congenital health issue I need to actively manage.
The broker recommended Project Access NOW as a measure to support the premium gap. He told me the organization would cover the difference between the federal subsidy under my plan and the actual cost of health care. It’s a simple process: the broker filed all the initial paperwork and Project Access NOW covers the remaining balance of my premium. I’ve mostly had preventative doctor visits and a few procedures done. But last year I had to have a more costly procedure to evaluate a health issue. This would have cost me a significant amount of money out of pocket, which would have been a significant hardship. Project Access NOW negotiated the cost and I didn’t have to pay what my insurance did not cover. This is the case with everything: Project Access NOW takes care of all the paperwork and makes all the necessary payments.
For a small-business person such as myself, the convenience is incredibly helpful. Not to mention the savings. For example, at some point in the future I may need to have a more costly invasive procedure. With Project Access NOW, I can plan for this and any other costs that come up. Since both my wife and I are covered under the ACA and Project Access Now, we have peace of mind that the financial burdens of healthcare are significantly diminished. The services provided by Project Access NOW have been invaluable.
