Today is the Day We've Been Fighting For!

Today is October 1st. Yesterday, as we put the final touches on this week's Black AIDS Weekly, we didn't know whether our government would be shut down today or not. What we do know is that today is the first day of open enrollment for the statewide health insurance exchanges. Let's begin by acknowledging the fact that misunderstandings and confusion still exist about how the insurance marketplaces, or exchanges, will work, and a concerted effort exists to provide misinform and disinform people. And we need to protect ourselves from the con artists and scammers who have emerged to take advantage of the uncertainty.

So let's examine some of the things that we know for certain. Each state will have a marketplace. In some states that marketplace will be run by the state; in other states it will be a federal/state partnership; some states have decided not to participate at all. In the states that declined to participate, the federal government will run the marketplace. (Click here to see which entity is running your state's exchange.)

Last week we suggested that you begin to think about 5 issues as you prepare to enroll or help your clients enroll in the marketplace. We encourage you to reread that list. This week we'll cover items 6 - 10.

6) Minimize the chances that you'll be negatively impacted either by confusion, misinformation or scammers by entering the health insurance marketplace through its front door, HealthCare.gov. Click here to select your state and learn how the marketplace will work.

7) Don't wait until the last minute to enroll. This is a tremendously massive undertaking--the biggest new social program in nearly 50 years--so significant glitches will, in fact, occur and some computer systems may not communicate perfectly with each other. Avoid being caught in the last-minute rush that will inevitably occur by doing homework and enrolling early. That way even if glitches occur, so that your application will be among the first to be approved so that your health insurance can begin on time, on January 1.

8) Find out what plan your HIV provider is enrolled in. Some HIV healthcare providers may not know the answer to this question yet.

9) Consider obtaining dental coverage. Oral care is an essential, but often overlooked, aspect of good health (not to mention a great smile). In the health insurance marketplace, dental coverage is required for young people until they turn 19; however, states can include dental insurance for people older than 18 if they desire. So: a) find out what the exact dental benefit is in your state, and b) pressure your state to expand dental benefits, if necessary.

10) Finally, we want to remind you that the Affordable Care Act is not launching today--it has been phasing in since 2010--the health insurance marketplace is launching today. So make sure to take advantage of the benefits already available to you. For example:

• If you're under 26 you still can be covered under your parents' health insurance -- even if you have HIV or any other disease or condition. Importantly, you will not have to tell your parents that you have HIV (or any other condition or disease) and under privacy laws your insurance company and health care providers cannot tell them. (Go here to learn about your privacy rights.)
• Depending upon your policy you may already be eligible for certain free preventive screenings.
• If your insurance company is trying to kick you off because you have HIV, beginning in 2014 they can no longer do that.
• If you have been denied health coverage in the past because you have HIV or any other pre-existing condition, you are protected against that beginning in 2014.
• If your insurance company is trying to increase your premiums because you have HIV, beginning next year they can't.
• If your insurance company is telling you that you've bumped up against your annual cap or lifetime cap on coverage, they can't do that.

Also in this issue we continue our series profiling the fellows of the African American HIV University's Science and Treatment College; we invite you to read the stories as well as their blogs. We run two stories from our friends at Kaiser Health News: one urging us to be patient and expect snags as open enrollment begins and the other examining how employers are overhauling their health insurance benefits. We provide highlights from the Congressional Black Caucus's 43rd Legislative Caucus held in September. And we run a ColorLines story that examines the implications for the hip-hop community of New York City's Hot 97 radio DJ Mr. Cee's decision to come out about his same-sex attraction.

Yours in the struggle,

Phill