Uninsured Mississippians shopping on the health insurance exchange are facing a deadline in order for coverage to kick in at the start of the year. There is one more week to sign up.
While the online marketplace at healthcare.gov, also known as Obamacare, remains open through the middle of February, any Mississippian wanting coverage to start at the beginning of the year must sign up by next Monday.
Maria Morris with the Mississippi Primary Healthcare Association says uninsured residents need to act quickly.
"They need to get moving and they need to get moving now. Because if you want to have coverage by the first of January you need to sign up by December 15th," Morris said.
Morris says they are still facing challenges getting word out about the health insurance exchange.
In addition, Morris says residents who signed up last year need to return to site to check their insurance and re-enroll for another year.
Lisa Smith helps people sign up at a clinic in Jackson.
She says they are seeing 30 or more people a day who have questions about the insurance.
"They know about the exchange but they are not fully aware what the exchange is for them. They just don't have enough knowledge about it. Education is very, very very important and that is one of the things we focus on," Smith said.
Insurance purchased through healthcare.gov is provided by private companies but subsidized by the federal government in order to bring down monthly premiums.
