Clearing up confusion on MNsure health care enrollment

MINNEAPOLIS (KSMP) - As Congress still fights over how to reform health care, it's causing a lot of confusion on health coverage as people prepare for the new year.

Briva Health is serving as a navigator site to help people with language barriers and other challenges to sign up for health coverage.

At Briva Health, Roberto Tapia is one of the navigators who will start matching clients with health plans. But the biggest question he gets is about whether there's any plan at all.

"[The most common question is] if the ACA is going to be repealed or if it's gone already," said Tapia.

Briva Health has successfully helped 30 Minnesotans sign up for health care coverage on the MNsure exchange. But this year it's fighting the confusing news on health care coming from Washington.

"We want everyone to know that we are still in business, the ACA is still the law of the land, MNsure is in business as usual,” said Hogan Guled, Briva Health CEO. “We're all here."

Enrollment for MNsure starts Wednesday, November 1 and runs through January 14. This is for health care coverage in 2018. MNsure expects the confusion about health care coverage will possibly spark early enrollments.

"What we saw last year is that people got nervous about their coverage too,” said Allison O’Toole, MNsure CEO. “Right after the election. And that spurred a surge in enrollment. And that's what I'm hoping for too that people get that security of coverage."

At Briva Health, Tapia expects his clients will have lots of questions. "We can help you, it's no charge and we can go from there," he said.