Austin Hotline Helps Uninsured To Find Resources

AUSTIN, TX — St. David’s HealthCare is offering a free insurance assistance hotline enabling uninsured individuals to speak with advisors about available services, officials said Thursday.

“Over the last few months, access to healthcare has never been more important, and many of our friends and neighbors have lost their health insurance due to unemployment or reduced work hours,” David Huffstutler, president and CEO of St. David’s HealthCare, said in a prepared statement. “Delaying or avoiding critical medical care due to financial barriers can result in serious health complications.”

Hotline advisors can discuss eligibility and advocacy services that are appropriate for a variety of scenarios, such as:

• Continuing your employer's existing plan if someone has recently lost their job, including COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act).
• Applying for coverage via a spouse's benefit program.
• Identifying resources that may help offset the costs of health insurance.
• Accessing Medicaid (government healthcare for those who meet certain criteria).
• Enrolling in state and federal health insurance exchanges (such as the Affordable Care Act) due to a qualifying life event.

Individuals who need assistance with navigating insurance coverage while unemployed or furloughed can call (833) 541-5757 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

St. David’s HealthCare does not represent any insurance company or sell insurance plans, officials stressed. Rather, the hotline is intended to help individuals receive information to confidently manage health needs, officials added.

About St. David’s HealthCare

St. David’s HealthCare includes seven of the area’s leading hospitals and is one of the largest health systems in Texas. The organization has been recognized with a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award—the nation’s highest presidential honor for performance excellence. St. David’s HealthCare is the third-largest private employer in the Austin area, with more than 10,800 colleagues across 132 sites of care.

St. David’s HealthCare is a unique partnership between hospital management company HCA Healthcare and two local non-profits—St. David’s Foundation and Georgetown Health Foundation. The proceeds from the operations of the hospitals fund the foundations, which, in turn, invest those dollars back into the community. Since the inception of St. David’s HealthCare in 1996, more than $611 million has been given back to the community to improve the health and healthcare of Central Texans.