Selecting health insurance, whether from Medicare, Marketplace, private insurance, to qualifying for Medicaid, can be a challenging and confusing process. AAA staff have trained counselors and federally trained Navigators who can help you find the right option. AAA staff are unbiased and do not receive benefits/reimbursement for specific policies; they are here to help you find what is best for you!
Marketplace and Navigators*
The Health Insurance Marketplace is a service that helps people shop for and enroll in health insurance. The Marketplace provides options for people who don’t have coverage through a job, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or another source that provides qualifying health care.
ma4’s Federally trained, unbiased Navigators provide free assistance to help you compare health insurance plans, assist you with the online application process, and provide answers to your Marketplace questions year-round.
ma4 Navigators do not sell insurance or any other services – and never ask for money.
While you can enroll in the Marketplace without assistance, Navigator assistance is a free service provided by ma4.
ma4’s Navigator Assisters are here to guide you through the application process and to:
- Assist with completing and submitting the application,
- Help you understand your coverage and insurance terminology,
- Explain benefits provided through the plans,
- Teach you how to maintain and maximize healthcare coverage;
- Provide help and guidance to navigate the health care maze.
ma4 has provided Federal Navigator services since the onset of the Marketplace with funding from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Navigators play a vital role in helping consumers prepare applications to establish eligibility and enroll in coverage through the Marketplaces and potentially qualify for an insurance affordability programs. Navigators operate year-round—providing confidential, free, unbiased support to help you compare insurance plans, assist with the online application process, and provide answers year-round. Navigators complete comprehensive federal Navigator training, criminal background checks, and state training.*
Medicare
Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older. You’re first eligible to sign up for Medicare three months before you turn 65. 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).
Medicare is not free, and you need to consider plan coverage and prices before you enroll. If you don’t enroll on time during your initial enrollment period, you could face a penalty. Navigating your Medicare selection needs and priorities may feel overwhelming.
Timing is everything when you’re enrolling in Medicare and a lot depends on your specific situation. Turning 65 is a big life event, and thousands of baby boomers are doing it every day.
Medicaid
If you do not have health insurance or you need help paying for your health care, you may be eligible for coverage through Missouri’s Medicaid program, called MO HealthNet. Recently the state of Missouri expanded Mo HealthNet to provide coverage for even more people. Eligibility depends on your income, age, health, and individua needs.
*The Navigator Project is supported by funding Opportunity Number CMS-CA-NAV-19-001 from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The contents provided are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HHS or any of its agencies.