/ Modified dec 19, 2013 6:18 a.m.

Health Insurance Enrollment Deadline Nears For Some

Those covered by some government-funded programs will need to enroll in new insurance.

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Low income Arizonans may be among the group of people who have health insurance now, but will need to use the federal exchange to apply for new insurance.

People who have health insurance through KidsCare or the Preexisting Conditions Insurance Plan will lose their coverage at the end of January, said Jane Bakos, the director of St. Elizabeth's Health Center.

She advises people affected by the required change in insurance to enroll in a new plan on the exchange by Dec. 23. That way, she said, the new insurance coverage would begin Jan. 1, 2014, giving them time to pay for the new policy and ensure it meets their coverage needs.

Most people who are affected by this change in health insurance coverage should have been contacted, she said.

There are a number of organizations that can answer questions about eligibility, and help with online insurance enrollment.

“St. Elizabeth is one of them. We have certified CMS navigators here, who can help people apply and enroll in the new plans that are available to them," Bakos said.

Other organizations with free health care navigators include El Rio Health Centers, the Tucson Urban League, Pima County Access Program, the United Way, and the Pima County Health Department.

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