Affordable health insurance is helping thousands of North Carolinians receive quality health care. NC Get Covered, a non-partisan initiative powered by The Big Tent Coalition, reminds residents without health insurance not to be left behind. North Carolinians must enroll in a health insurance plan by Dec. 15 in order to receive coverage by Jan. 1.

With two month left to enroll, North Carolinians have compelling reasons for purchasing health insurance:

• Health care can be expensive; up to $3,000 for a broken arm.
• Health insurance gives a person access to preventive care, diagnostic tests, and more.
• Financial help is available to make premiums fit your budget.
• Enrolling on the Federal Market place is easy.

“The Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance has already saved lives in North Carolina,” said Sorien Schmidt, Get Covered America’s North Carolina state director. “We have talked to consumers who have been diagnosed and undergone life-saving surgeries using their coverage. The marketplace plans are affordable, and meet consumers’ needs and budgets. We encourage uninsured North Carolinians to check out their options.”

For most, there are fines for not purchasing a health insurance plan. Each adult without health insurance will have to pay $325 or two percent of their annual household income, whichever is greater, the following year for not purchasing health insurance. To avoid these fines, North Carolinians should keep in mind the following enrollment deadlines:

• Dec. 15, 2014 – Last date to enroll for health insurance coverage starting on Jan. 1, 2015.
• Jan. 15, 2015 – Last date to enroll for health insurance coverage starting on Feb. 1, 2015.
• Feb. 15, 2015 – Last date to enroll for health insurance coverage for 2015.

Through NC Get Covered, North Carolinians have access to in-person assisters and resources to help them navigate the open enrollment process. NC Get Covered offers statewide enrollment assistance, including outreach events and educational ACA resources for financial help, health insurance basics, and ACA deadlines and fines.

“It’s crucial that North Carolinians are aware that there are deadlines and fines associated with not enrolling in a health insurance plan,” said Lee Dixon, project coordinator for NC Get Covered. “While North Carolina was one of the few states to reach its enrollment goal last year, there is still work to be done to ensure that everyone finds the best health insurance plan for their needs and budget. NC Get Covered is available for all North Carolinians to help ease the burden of finding the right health insurance plan.”

Free, in-person enrollment help is available for consumers who want to talk to an expert about their options, right in their community. Here are some upcoming enrollment events taking place across the state:

• Greensboro – Saturday, December 13 at the Warnersville Recreational Center, 601 Doak Street (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
• Charlotte – Saturday, December 13 at the Children & Family Services Center, 601 East 5th Street (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
• Durham – Saturday, December 13 at the Centro de Alabanza Naciones Unidas, 2100 Chapel Hill Road (9 a.m.-3 p.m.)
• Raleigh – Monday, December 15 at the Pullen Park Community Center, 408 Ashe Avenue (1:30pm- 7:30pm)

 Walk-in appointments are available at the sites. Consumers can also schedule free appointments any day in their county by calling 1-855-733-3711 or visiting www.getcoveredamerica.org/connector/ and entering their ZIP code to locate an in-person assister nearby.