JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The deadline to apply for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act is Tuesday, Dec. 15. If you miss the deadline, you risk losing coverage for 2021, which insurance agents say could be costly amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Florida Blue and the Rhoda L. Martin Cultural Heritage Center hosted an event Sunday with free COVID-19 tests and flu vaccines provided by Agape Health.
Florida Blue said there are about 93,000 Duval County residents who do not have health insurance. About 50,000 qualify for financial assistance.
Tyron Mills is an insurance agent with Jayman Insurance Agency. He said risking losing coverage in 2021 is dangerous amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He told Action News Jax reporter Robert Grant that some of his customers were stuck paying upwards of $200,000 for coronavirus treatment after they were in the hospital for a week.
“There’s so many people out there without health insurance who don’t know it,” he said. “Don’t wait for the deadline, let’s try to get you enrolled now. It’s very important.
”He was at the Rhoda L. Martin Cultural Heritage Center Sunday. They were also giving out free COVID-19 tests and flu vaccines.
Mia Jones, who is part of the center, said there’s a slight gap in healthcare coverage that targets African American communities.
”We encourage people — whenever you see these initiatives and it’s in your front or back door. Seize the moment.
”Agape Community Health provides COVID-19 tests to people for free. On the weekends, they go out to neighborhoods who may not have access. The company’s CEO, Mia Jones, said since Thanksgiving, testing has increased and positive cases are also going up with less than two weeks before Christmas.
The Florida Department of Health reported more than 20,000 deaths from coronavirus on Sunday.
Jones said there’s a gap in access, and underserved communities are often at higher risk. She said Agape Health won’t be involved with distributing the first round of vaccines from Pfizer, but expected to provide support with the second round from Moderna.
”It’s really important for us to be able to give them the support they need, because we know they have a lot of underlying conditions that will negatively impact them and cause them to have an even harder impact if they get [COVID-19].”