Enrollment Targets Uninsured Hispanics

By Mary Shedden, Health News Florida
December 18, 2014

Luis Alejandro Larrorte has lived the past two decades in the United States — all of it without health insurance.

But the 56-year-old who sells cable satellite plans as a contractor was diagnosed with eye cancer. And the Pembroke Pines resident was eager to sign up on the federal healthcare marketplace.

But the Colombian native – who now is a U.S. citizen – says a lot of the insurance and medical terms involved didn’t translate well into the Spanish-language website.

“It was impossible for me, really, really impossible, because there were so many problems, confusion, the computer not working,” he said. “And it was for me very bad because I need some medical treatments for my eye.”

This year, Larrorte met application navigators from the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida in person, and found a comprehensive plan he can afford with his $22,000-a-year salary.

Speaking to someone in person helped him understand how, starting Jan. 1, his monthly premium will be $110 a month, and his out-of-pocket deductible is $2,000. It’s a lot of money, but he understands well enough he can navigate his health care now, he said.

“I am happy because I got some coverage yes – I am very, very happy. I am very enthusiastic about that. My situation, my real situation for me (now) is that I need to pay, I need to work so hard to try to pay for the deductions,” he said. “My treatment is nothing easy. And It’s going to be expensive.”

Click here to read more or visit: http://health.wusf.usf.edu/post/enrollment-targets-uninsured-hispanics?utm_source=Health+News+Florida+eAlert+subscriber+list&utm_campaign=d2888cf509-Thursday_December_18_201412_18_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8d22eaa6f6-d2888cf509-249584205