{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ContentRecord_id=6DC01F16-7BE1-498E-A094-9F48E8EB7EC5", "Choose Your Health Care Plan Now, Open Enrollment is Almost Over", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As we approach the holidays and a new year, it\u2019s important to count our blessings and focus on the health and well-being of ourselves and those we care about. And perhaps the single most important thing you can do for your health and financial security is to make sure you have adequate health insurance.\r\nHealth care open enrollment is going on right now and North Dakotans can sign up for or change their health care plans to make sure they\u2019re getting a plan that works best for them and their families.\r\nBut this year, you have much less time to research and choose a plan through healthcare.gov, known as the health insurance marketplace, than in past years. Open enrollment ends on December 15 \u2013 a month and a half earlier than last year \u2013 so time is running out to choose a plan for those who don\u2019t get coverage through your job, Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important that you act quickly to secure coverage \u2013 and remind your friends and family to do the same.\r\nThe administration drastically cut the length of the open enrollment period this year, and also slashed federal funding for in-person assistance known as navigators who help you select a plan and sign up for coverage. We\u2019re seeing the direct impacts in North Dakota. Minot State University, for example, saw its federal funds to help North Dakotans find care slashed by 96 percent. And Great Plains Tribal Chairmen\u2019s Health Board doesn\u2019t have enough funds to help North Dakotans sign up for coverage as it has done in previous years.\r\nSince 2013, the uninsured rate in North Dakota has been reduced from 11 percent to 8 percent, in\u00a0 large part due to the work of organizations like these that helped families sign up for coverage.\r\nBecause of the shorter enrollment period and reduced resources, I created a new webpage to help folks explore their health care options and choose the best plan for their individual needs. Please visit it to find resources at www.heitkamp.senate.gov.\r\nNorth Dakotans can shop for plans, determine financial assistance eligibility, sign up for coverage, and receive application assistance or appeal a decision by visiting www.healthcare.gov or calling 1-800-318-2596. There are five ways to apply for coverage: online, by phone, with in-person help, through an agent, or by mail.\r\nDespite the administration\u2019s misguided decision to cut open enrollment period and support for assistance like North Dakota\u2019s navigators, enrollment across the country has actually risen compared to previous years. That\u2019s because families know how important it is to have health insurance \u2013 whether you have a preexisting condition or are in perfect health. You never know when you\u2019ll need medical care, and no one should be saddled with a debilitating bill from the emergency room simply because they missed the open enrollment period and don\u2019t have health care.\r\n\r\nI have long said that the health reform law isn\u2019t perfect. But there are many pieces in it that are helpful, and for years I\u2019ve been pushing to make it work better for North Dakota families and small businesses. For example, I\u2019m leading an effort to delay the Health Insurance Tax to prevent burdensome premium increases. And I recently helped put forward a bipartisan plan to immediately make health insurance more affordable and accessible for North Dakota families.\r\nEvery individual and family should be able to get access to affordable, quality health care, and no one should have to go bankrupt to pay for health care for a child with disabilities, a sick family member, or just an emergency that you never thought could happen. I encourage every North Dakotan who lacks health insurance or needs to make changes to their coverage to do so before the December 15 deadline. There isn\u2019t time to waste as protecting your health is too important.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ContentRecord_id=6DC01F16-7BE1-498E-A094-9F48E8EB7EC5"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5234989114105701, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}