I need health insurance or help with affording healthcare.
Health Insurance
There are public and private options for individuals who don’t receive health insurance through their employer. Two of the primary options are through plans offered privately through Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace and public health insurance program through MaineCare and Medicare.
Maine Health Insurance Marketplace
CoverME.gov is Maine’s health insurance marketplace that allows Mainers to compare affordable health insurance plans. From the CoverME.gov website: “You can see plan features, benefits, and your total estimated costs for services, as well as premiums and deductibles, side-by-side and review which plans include your doctors, prescription drugs, and more. The tool also allows you to see an estimate of the financial assistance you may qualify for, just by answering a few basic questions.”
MaineCare
From the MaineCare website: “MaineCare provides free and low-cost health insurance to Mainers who meet certain requirements, based on household composition and income. There are also additional options for people with disabilities and certain health conditions, young adults who have been in foster care, and those who need long-term care.”
Medicare
“Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older. You may be eligible to get Medicare earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or ALS (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease). Some people get Medicare automatically, others have to actively sign up — it depends if you start getting retirement or disability benefits from Social Security before you turn 65.”
The Medicare.gov website provides basic information about the Medicare program and next steps.
The Maine State Health Insurance Assistance Program offers trained health insurance counselors within the state to answer questions about Medicare and other insurance issues.
The Medicare & You handbook is the government’s official guide to the Medicare program and can be downloaded at the website below.