MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers and state health officials are urging Wisconsin residents who lost their health insurance this year to enroll in special benefits amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
After FEMA declared the pandemic a national emergency, people who lost their health insurance through their employer and were prevented from enrolling in coverage because of the pandemic can now apply for coverage through an 'extended special enrollment period,' or SEP.
Wisconsin residents can also apply if they have experienced a 'qualifying life event,' like getting married or having a baby.
Wisconsin residents who have lost coverage can also work with an enrollment assister or an agent to enroll in a new insurance plan through HealthCare.gov, which may be more affordable than using a health insurance extension from their employer under the federal COBRA provision, according to a news release from the governor's office.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored how critical healthcare coverage is for every Wisconsinite,” said Gov. Evers in the release.
“While we still have much work to do to make healthcare coverage more accessible and affordable, anyone who has lost coverage should take this opportunity to use the extended open enrollment period and get covered," according to Evers.
