On Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, residents will have the opportunity to attend enrollment events at convenient sites throughout the city and get help from trained Marketplace enrollment helpers to shop around for the best healthcare plan to meet their needs.
In December, Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced that the City of New Orleans accepted the White House’s Healthy Communities Challenge as part of a national effort to promote enrollment in insurance through the Marketplace. Throughout the rest of the Marketplace open enrollment period, which ends on Jan. 31, 2016, the City Health Department along with its local, state and federal partners will continue to actively engage uninsured New Orleans residents to use the Marketplace to directly compare and purchase private health insurance options, often for lower costs.
504HealthNet is dedicated to ensuring everyone in our community has access to high-quality primary care and behavioral health services.
504HealthNet is an association comprised of 22 non-profit and governmental organizations in the Greater New Orleans area. Membership is open to those who provide primary care or behavioral health services in a community setting irrespective of the client’s ability to pay, with a special focus on low-income, uninsured populations. Our members independently operate 60 service locations throughout the Greater New Orleans area ranging from comprehensive adult/pediatric primary care and behavioral health sites to medical mobile units.
You can download a map with our locations here, or the full resource guide here.
There are several insurance programs available for the Greater New Orleans Area. Find out more here.
For help locating a clinic in your community call (504) 658-2053. Our partners at Second Harvest will be glad to help you.
Health Insurance Marketplace
The Health Insurance Marketplace (a part of the Affordable Care Act, sometimes called “Obamacare”) helps people without health coverage find and enroll in a plan that fits their budget and meets their needs.
New Orleans Day of Enrollment
The New Orleans Citywide Day of Enrollment is January 16, 2016.
Free, in-person assisters will be available at each enrollment site to assist New Orleanians with their health insurance application. If you need help applying for health insurance, come to any of the events below on 1/16. Be sure to bring social security information and proof of income.
| Location | Address | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Alvar Library | 919 Alvar St. | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Mid-City Library | 3700 Orleans Ave. | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Martin Luther King Library | 1611 Caffin Ave. | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| New Orleans Public Library | 219 Loyola Ave. | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| East New Orleans Library | 5641 Read Blvd. | 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM |
| Finn McCool’s Irish Pub | 3701 Banks St. | 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM |
| Maple Leaf Bar | 8316 Oak St. | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM |
| Refresh Project | 300 N. Broad St. | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Fire Station: Engine 40 | 2500 Gen. DeGaulle Ave. | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Fire Station: Engine 27 | 2118 Elysian Fields Ave. | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Fire Station: Engine 18 | 778 Harrison Ave. | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Fire Station: Engine 1 | 2920 Magazine St. | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Fire Station: Squad 7 | 1441 St. Peter Ave. | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
|
Jefferson Community Health Center |
11312 Jefferson Hwy. | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
| The Esplanade Mall | 1401 W Esplanade Ave. | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
Healthy Communities Challenge
New Orleans is proud to participate in President Obama’s “Healthy Communities Challenge 
”- a national initiative to help uninsured citizens across the country access health care coverage provided by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
New Orleans is one of 20 cities participating in the Challenge. If we sign up the highest percentage of our residents who aren’t covered this year, the President will pay us a visit!
Mayor’s Barbershop & Beauty Salon Health Care Enrollment Challenge
As part of this initiative, Mayor Landrieu is challenging barbers and hairstylists across the city to talk with their customers about health insurance and help connect them to free, in-person enrollment assistance. Every participating business will receive a proclamation in recognition of their efforts, and the barbershop or salon that refers the most people to enrollment assisters will receive a visit from Mayor Landrieu in celebration of the achievement. Over 20 local barbershops and salons have already signed up for the challenge!
To sign up or learn more about the challenge, contact the Health Department at healthdepartment@nola.gov or (504) 658-2511.
Open Enrollment for 2016 is Here!
Open Enrollment is the time each year when anyone can enroll in health insurance, renew their coverage, or change their plan through the Marketplace.
- Open Enrollment is November 1, 2015 – January 31, 2016.
- Enroll by January 15th for your coverage to begin on February 1st.
Apply for Health Coverage
Steps to apply
Individuals and Families
- Gather social security numbers and employer income information for everyone in your household.
- Visit Healthcare.gov
- Get free, in-person assistance with your application by:
- Visiting any of the local health clinics on this list or map
- Making an appointment through the Get Covered Connector
- Calling NOLA 311 from any local phone
Small Businesses
Businesses with 50 employees or fewer can offer affordable employee health plans through the SHOP website
Marketplace Plans
All marketplace plans cover important services like emergency care, hospital stays, and prescriptions called essential health benefits . This also includes preventive care services like screenings, immunizations and wellness visits.
No health insurance provider can refuse you coverage for having a pre-existing condition and there is now a limit on how much you can spend out of your own pocket on hospital bills.
Keeping Costs Low
Many people who apply for a Marketplace plan get help paying their monthly bill (also called a “premium”) through Marketplace tax credits. Tax credits are calculated based on your household income and family size. Get an estimate of plan costs and options.
Everyone is required to have insurance whether it’s through an employer, Marketplace insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, or GNOCHC. If you don’t have insurance you have the choice to purchase coverage, file an exemption, or pay a fee .