Weekly Address: Vice President Biden: Make 2015 the Year for Quality, Affordable Health Insurance

[cal04]

Source: White House

In this week’s address, the Vice President wished Americans a Happy New Year, and asked that as we make resolutions to get healthier in 2015, we take the time to sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Millions of people have already signed up for quality, affordable health care under the law, and there is still time to secure the peace of mind that comes with getting covered.

From now until February 15th, you can sign up by logging on to HealthCare.gov, by speaking to someone on the phone through the 24/7 call center at 1-800-318-2596 -- where you can get assistance in 150 languages, or by going in person to an enrollment event in your community.

Read more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/03/weekly-address-make-2015-year-quality-affordable-health-insurance

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(snip)

I know this is the time of year when we make resolutions to take care of our health, whether it's joining a gym or eating healthier. But there's one thing you can do right now that will also make a big difference in your health: that is getting quality, affordable health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.

Because of that law, access to quality health care is improving. Last year, almost 7 million people signed up for health care coverage under the new law and paid their premiums. And in many cases the cost of health care is less than the cost of your cell phone or your cable bill. In addition, millions more are getting the care that they need through Medicaid that they weren't getting before.

And because of the new law, people who already had health insurance are also benefitting from additional protections. For example, their insurance companies can't deny them coverage because of pre-existing conditions, like asthma or diabetes. And they’re able to get -- for free -- preventive services like mammograms or blood pressure screenings that their doctors ordered for them, saving them a lot of money.

Everyone is beginning to realize what millions of you already know -- the Affordable Care Act is working. And we're just getting started. Because there are millions more of you who can get quality, affordable health care if you sign up before February 15th of this year. That’s now through February 15th.

Now if you don't have insurance, you can go to HealthCare.gov, where you'll find a menu of a bunch of different plans and what each plan covers and how much each plan costs. All you have to do is just pick one. The best one that fits your family's health care needs and your family's budget.

If you don't want to go to HealthCare.gov and you want to talk to somebody on the phone instead, you can call, I'm going to give you the number now, you can call 1-800-318-2596. From this moment on, you can call any time of the day, any day of the week. Phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And for folks listening today whose family and friends may not speak English: let them know that there are translators available in over 150 language to guide them through the process.

And if you're not comfortable going online or speaking on the phone, and you want to sit down with an individual to help you through this, you can find out where to go as well. Because in every community, at local libraries or community health centers, people are there to help. All you have to do is go on HealthCare.gov, type in where you live, and you can find out exactly where to go to sit down with a person who will help you walk through the process.

But here's the really important point I want to make. If you don't sign up by February 15th of this year -- with only a very few exceptions -- if you don’t sign up by the 15th of this year, you’re going to have to wait until 2016 to get health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.

And even those of you who already have health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, you can also go on HealthCare.gov to find a plan that might offer more benefits or be more affordable in price for you. You might even qualify for additional help paying for the insurance you choose because your income isn't what it was last year.

more at link
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/01/02/weekly-address-make-2015-year-quality-affordable-health-insurance

[hobbit709]

1. How about we get affordable, quality health CARE instead of insurance?

[bread_and_roses]

5. Agree - 'cept let's just say health care - lose the "affordable"

There is no such thing as "affordable" health care for an individual - which is why we need national health care - which is where I think you were going, but I just like to reiterate it as often as possible.

Nor is the misnamed ACA "affordable" for millions who will have to pay for it - what Beltway genius decided that a "middle class" that has not seen real wage growth in decades, which is often already working two or more jobs just to pay bills, can afford - what was it, 8%? - of their income for health insurance?

There is no excuse or justification for this abomination other than to transfer wealth to the Vampire Insurance industry.

I cannot believe that the payers are not screaming their heads off about this - because since the rich and the Corps are not being taxed, it is those of us who somehow have not fallen into poverty or near-poverty by government calculation who are being taxed to pay for the subsidies - while we pay for our tithe to the Vampires.

I have no problem paying taxes for assure everyone gets health care - as long as the rich and the Corps are paying their fair share too - which they are not - and as long as EVERYONE gets the health care their DOCTORS (not their insurance co) determine they need and no one is beggared and bankrupted by medical expenses. Which under ACA is not the case. Goddess help the "Bronze People" if they get a major illness.

That we as a people ever accepted a system that has "Platinum" people and "Bronze" people says everything you need to know about both the ACA and our supine acceptance of overt Oligarchy.

[bigdarryl]

2. Biden sounds like he wants to run for Obama's job

[CountAllVotes]

4. I picked up on that too

and the setting, nice and homey and speaking to you with the fireplace in the background.

I hope Joe Biden runs again. He is rightfully qualified and deserves the job and YES, I would vote for him.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Thanks for posting!

I waited to listen to it early this morning on my local news radio station (they usually air it at ~6:09 am) and when the time came and they did a couple local news stories instead, I started yelling and cursing at the radio. Popped over to Whitehouse.gov and it wasn't there either.

Glad they did finally get it uploaded. I figured someone (and my guess of Biden was spot on) would be a substitute for the address.

[MisterP]

6. is this a coy way of announcing we've invented time travel?