LewisGale Regional Health System, which has a hospital in Blacksburg, has established a hotline to provide assistance to those who are without health insurance coverage for their families.
Across the commonwealth, employment since the beginning of the pandemic has risen from three percent to more than 10 percent. The loss of health insurance coverage is obviously a major concern for those recently unemployed.
The hotline will specifically assist in providing temporary healthcare coverage for those who are recently unemployed.
The hotline is available at 833-867-8771 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“Part of our mission is to ensure the health of the communities we serve through our hospitals and healthcare providers,” said LewisGale Market President Lance Jones.
“An important part of that is to be there in times of need and to ensure lack of insurance coverage and fears about the COVID-19 virus do not preclude people from receiving the healthcare they need,” Jones said. “This hotline is a tool for us to tend to the overall wellbeing of our patients and their families and to remove barriers to seeking lifesaving care in a safe hospital environment.”
Hotline advisors can discuss eligibility and advocacy services appropriate for a variety of scenarios, such as continuing an employer’s existing plan for those who have recently lost a job (COBRA and other options), applying for coverage via a spouse’s benefit program, locating resources that may help offset the costs of health insurance, signing up for Medicaid for those who meet certain criteria and explaining how to enroll in state and federal health insurance exchanges such as the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.
These services are offered free of charge. LewisGale Regional Health System and HCA Virginia are not representing any other company or selling insurance plans.
LewisGale Regional Health System has 44 HCA-owned patient care facilities including four hospitals, one standalone emergency room, two regional cancer centers and affiliations with both employed and independent physicians. With 2,500 employees, its annual payroll is $236 million.
The system paid $36 million in taxes and provided more than $73 million in uncompensated care to those most in need in 2018 alone. LewisGale is part of HCA Virginia, the largest and most comprehensive healthcare provider in the commonwealth with nearly 15,000 employees.
