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26 www.DesertMessenger.com November 18, 2015 Get your 2016 health insurance now By David Sayen Are you looking for quality, affordable health insurance for next year? Here's how you can apply for a 2016 health plan, renew your current plan, or pick a new plan through the Health Insur- ance Marketplace. It's quick and easy to apply. Just go to Healthcare.gov and you can see a variety of plans available in Arizona. If you're new to the Marketplace, you can preview 2016 health plans and prices before you apply. You'll see premiums based on your estimated income. And keep in mind that most Arizonans qualify for finan- cial help with their premium costs. In 2015, 76 percent of Marketplace enrollees in Arizona – more than 117,000 people – received a tax credit, and consumers saved an average of $159 per month. This year, 74 percent of Arizonans can find a plan for $100 or less per month, 68 percent for $75 or less, and 56 percent for $50 or less. If you're enrolled in a 2015 Market- place plan, you can renew or change plans for 2016. I strongly recommend that you go to Healthcare.gov and update your expected income and household in- formation for 2016 – even if you plan to keep your current insurance. That's the only way to be sure your premium tax credit and other savings for 2016 are accurate. Also, you may find new plans and prices that work better for you. Keep in mind that if you want your new or updated health coverage to start January 1, 2016, you must enroll or change plans by December 15, 2015. If you don't act by December 15, you'll probably be automatically re-enrolled for January 1 – but your premium tax credit will be based on last year's information or on information the Marketplace has from other sources. So you might be automatically re-en- rolled with no tax credit. In some cases, you won't be automati- cally re-enrolled. You'll need to take action by December 15 to stay covered January 1, 2016. You can change your plan any time during Open Enrollment, which ends January 31, 2016. But if you apply after January 15, 2016, your new coverage won't begin until March 1, 2016. All plans offered in the Marketplace cover the same set of essential health benefits. Every plan must cover a menu of benefits including emergency services; hospitalization; outpatient care; prescription drugs; pregnancy, maternity and newborn care; lab ser- vices; and preventives services such as vaccinations and cancer screenings. In addition, some plans may offer den- tal and vision benefits. When comparing plans on Healthcare. gov, you'll see exactly what each plan offers. IMPORTANT: If you're enrolled in a Meritus health plan, it will end on December 31, 2015. After that, Meritus will no longer pay your medical claims. In order to have coverage on January 1, 2016, you must choose and enroll in a new plan no later than December 15. Five years after the Affordable Care Act became law, more than 17 million Americans have gained coverage and the uninsured rate in this country has plunged by 45 percent. The nation's uninsured rate now stands at its lowest level ever. In Arizona, the adult uninsured rate dropped from 20.4 percent in 2013 to 14.5 percent in the first half of 2015. But tens of thousands of Arizonans who are eligible for Marketplace cover- age still lack health insurance. I urge you to check out Healthcare.gov today. The security and safety of health insurance for you and your family may be more affordable than you think! David Sayen is Medicare's regional administrator for Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii, and the Pacific Ter- ritories. You can always get answers to your Medicare questions by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Readership of free community papers is now higher than paid daily papers and continues to grow. And more than 70 percent of readers make their buying decisions from free paper advertising and editorial. Your free community paper, promoting connections at a local level – right under your nose. 928-916-4235 www.DesertMessenger.com Email: Editor@DesertMessenger.com (Check with parks, subject to change) BRENDA RV RESORT Contact: Alice Lundy-Bowman Craft Show 9AM – 1PM Saturday - December 12, 2015 Saturday – January 16, 2016 Quilt Show 12 – 5PM Saturday – February 13, 2016 (There will be hamburgers and root beer floats for sale at the Craft Shows & the Quilt Show) DESERT GOLD Craft Show & Yard Sales 9AM-1PM - "Second (2nd) Thursday" of the month from "November 2015 through March 2016" (Note new schedule) WAGONS WEST Craft Show 9 am-1 pm Saturday – November 21, 2015 Saturday - February 20, 2016 BLACK ROCK Contact: Craft Show & Yard Sales 9 AM to 1PM Friday – December 5, 2015 Friday - February 6, 2016 RAMBLIN ROADS Craft Show 9 AM – 1PM Friday – De- cember 5, 2015 Friday - February 6, 2016 CENTENNIAL COMMUNITY CENTER kskamps@msn.com Craft Show 9AM-1PM Located in Salome Saturday – November 28, 2015 Saturday –January 30,2016 SANTA'S WORKSHOP ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL Nov. 28 & 29, 2015 At Tyson Wells Showgrounds Quartzsite Business Chamber SENIOR CENTER –Quartzsite – Craft Shows - Third (3rd) Friday of each month, November to March - 9 am to 1 pm QIA – Quartzsite First (1st) Saturday of each month, November - March - 9 am to 1 pm BOUSE BOOSTER CLUB Vendors Welcome Christmas Bazaar December 12-13 Art Show February 6-7 SPRING FEVER DAZE MARCH 5-6 ANY CORRECTIONS PLEASE CALL ALICE LUNDY 321-626- 8842 Tentative Craft Show schedule

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