Chicago artists get lowdown on ACA coverage at town hall

The multiracial, multigenerational group of 200 that attended the Chicago Artists Health Care Town Hall meeting Monday had at least one thing in common—a tenuous connection to health insurance. The gathering demonstrated the pent-up need for affordable, secure health coverage among self-employed artists and other entrepreneurs, and the hopes that many of these people have for coverage through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

One woman, who declined to give her name, said she was a self-employed, full-time artist insured through her husband's employer. But he was retiring, and she was five years away from qualifying for Medicare. “I'm just trying to understand what my options are,” the woman said, adding that she was going to meet with one of the 46 healthcare navigators who were participating in the program.

Organizers say the navigators conducted at least 150 interviews with people exploring the Get Covered Illinois health insurance online marketplace. Also, the Chicago Department of Public Health reported that it administered 47 doses of flu vaccine at the event.

Daliah Mehdi, a registered nurse and chief clinical officer for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, was the main speaker at the program. She explained who qualified for insurance subsidies or for Medicaid, the differences between high- and low-deductible plans, and what Illinois essential benefit packages might cover if you're traveling outside the state and need medical care.

“If you vacation in Arizona, you can't see a dermatologist about a mole, because that's not an emergency, but you can get emergency care if you're stung by a scorpion,” Mehdi said. “It's not the simplest system. That's why we're glad to have navigators here.”

In Illinois, individual residents qualify for Medicaid if their income is around $15,800 or less, which is under 138% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, the cutoff point is about $32,500. To qualify for federal premium subsidies for private plan coverage, an individual's income cannot be more than $44,680. For a family of four, the figure is $94,200. Mehdi quipped that the audience members were probably closer to that higher income level.

“We should only dream,” she said, drawing some chuckles from the audience.

A key to making the system work, Mehdi explained, was to get money “from all those lovely young invincibles” who are low users of healthcare services in order to reduce the out-of-pocket costs of older people or those with pre-existing conditions. Mehdi added that it's also important to convince young people that it's in their best interest to have health insurance. “If something bad happens, you won't be dealing with a financial crisis on top of a health crisis,” she said.

Among those in the audience was young actress Molly Bunder, who is partnering with a group called the “Young Invincibles” to encourage younger people to get health insurance. Bunder is the project manager for the Affordable Care Act Comedy Team which is giving “pop up” performances in bars and coffee shops in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood—the city's current hotspot for hip millennials.

“We perform for a few minutes, answer questions and then disappear to the next place,” Bunder said.

She is still covered through her parents' health plan, but Bunder said she attended the program so she could better answer questions that came up during performances and to pass along knowledge to the actor and the yoga instructor she lives with.

Forty-something Kevin Holt said he's not currently covered, but he's “not necessarily worried.” After doing well in the New York arts scene, Holt said he returned to Chicago in March and, through the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago, is working as a managing director of the Black Ensemble Theater, a group known for presenting biographical musicals recalling the lives of legendary figures such as jazz singer Billie Holiday and bluesman Muddy Waters.

Holt said his position is currently not full time but he expects it soon will be. He wants to know if he would still qualify for a federal premium subsidy if he gets a promotion.

“Either way, I'm going to do something,” Holt said, adding that he'd like to speak with a navigator to get some direction.

Follow Andis Robeznieks on Twitter: @MHARobeznieks