Bridgeport, W.Va. (WBOY) – Three West Virginia healthcare professionals met at the Bridgeport Conference Center Thursday morning to welcome expanded healthcare coverage support through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace Did.

The ACA was made possible by passage of the Inflation Reduction Act negotiated by US Senator Joe Manchin. The Inflation Reduction Act he passed on August 16th. This has many benefits, some of which include reduced health care costs and expanded Medicare.

The ACA’s expanded medical coverage is included in the 2021 American Relief Plans Act.

More than 13 million Americans would have faced higher premiums and lost their health insurance entirely if Senator Manchin hadn’t agreed to the anti-inflation law. About 18,000 West Virginians will have to pay premiums, and he will lose at least 5,000 of them. The passage of this law will allow WV Navigator to continue helping people find insurance for the next three years.

Experts said they gathered in Bridgeport, near Senator Manchin’s home, and wanted to thank him for helping pass the bill. I wanted you to know what it meant.

The three experts in attendance were:

• Rich Sutphin, Executive Director, WV Rural Health Association
• Jessie Ice, Executive Director, West Virginians for Affordable Health Care
• Jeremy Smith, Program Director, First Choice Services and ACA Navigator Program
• Event Director Jim Wallace

While Ice spoke in front of those attending the conference, she discussed the work they were going to do. She said: Here in West Virginia, health care is top of mind for voters. Health care is expensive and difficult to access, and laws we can advocate, pass, be passed by Congress, and be enacted by legislators will benefit all West Virginians. ”

This law will help West Virginia make health care more affordable, accessible, and equitable. Ice said it will insure 3.1 million people and force drug companies to pay back if costs rise. She also said nearly a quarter of West Virginians have Medicare coverage, and her 49% of West Virginians skip prescribed medications because of costs. I was.

As Smith approached the podium for his talk, he mentioned a number of statistics based on health insurance coverage. He said, “He’s 8.5% of Virginians under the age of 65 and has no insurance.”

The ACA Marketplace will begin accepting health insurance on November 1st. People who lost coverage due to a change of employment or other reasons may be able to enroll before November 1st. WV Navigator offers free help with registration. See here for details.