Health Insurance Is Essential: Seven Reasons Why
1. Financial Protection:
Health insurance helps cover the high costs of medical care, such as doctor visits, hospital stays, surgeries, and prescription medications. Without it, a single medical emergency could lead to significant financial hardship or even bankruptcy.
2. Access to Quality Care: Health insurance gives individuals access to a network of doctors, specialists, and healthcare facilities, ensuring they can receive timely and appropriate care.
3. Preventive Services: Most insurance plans cover preventive services, such as vaccinations, screenings, and annual check-ups, which help detect and address health issues early.
4. Chronic Condition Management: For individuals with chronic
conditions like diabetes or asthma, insurance covers ongoing treatments, medications, and specialist visits, improving overall health and quality of life.
5. Mental Health Support:
Many insurance plans now include mental health services, making therapy and other treatments more accessible and affordable.
6. Peace of Mind:
Knowing you’re covered in case of unexpected illnesses or accidents reduces stress and allows you to focus on recovery rather than worrying about medical expenses.
7. Better Health Outcomes:
People with insurance are more likely to seek medical care when needed, leading to earlier diagnosis, better treatment, and improved health outcomes overall.
Everyday living can put so many demands on us that we sometimes forget that our most important asset is our health. We know that the right things to do are to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep. Although these things are easier said than done, we can’t stop trying. Since our mental health is also vital, take advantage of the mental health counseling that is covered in all ACA health insurance plans. Stay healthy!
Marketplace health insurance plan benefits
• All plans offered in the Marketplace cover these 10 essential health benefits:
• Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care you get without being admitted to a hospital)
• Emergency services
• Hospitalization (like surgery and overnight stays)
• Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care(both before and after birth) Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment (this includes counseling and psychotherapy) Prescription drugs
• Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices (services and devices to help people with injuries, disabilities, or chronic conditions gain or recover mental and physical skills)
• Laboratory services
• Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
• Pediatric services, including oral and vision care (but adult dental and vision coverage aren’t essential health benefits)
• Additional benefits
Plans must also include the following benefits:
• Birth control coverage
• Breastfeeding coverage
• Essential health benefits are minimum requirements for all Marketplace plans. Specific services covered in each broad benefit category can vary based on your state’s requirements. Plans may offer additional benefits, including:
• Dental coverage
• Vision coverage
• Medical management programs (for specific needs like weight management, back pain, and diabetes)
Michael Harris
Jacqueline Lawrence (336) 355-1235 lawrencejacque51@ gmail.com
Goodwill: Transforming Donations Into Lifelong Opportunities
Empowering individuals and communities through donations, training, and
More Than Just a Store
Local families know Goodwill as the place to find bargains on secondhand clothing, shoes, and household items that have been donated by the community. But what they may not know is that there’s a bigger story behind those Goodwill stores.
Turning Donations Into Opportunities
Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina transforms those donated items into training and career services that help people in our community find long-term employment and financial stability. Of every dollar earned through its retail stores, Goodwill puts 87 cents toward its mission and sustainability.
A Community-Centered Mission
As a nonprofit organization, Goodwill’s mission is to create opportunities for people to improve their lives through the power of work. Last year, Goodwill served more than 34,000 people throughout northwest North Carolina. Goodwill partners with other nonprofits as well as educational institutions like Forsyth Technical Community College and TransTech truck driving school to
ensure individuals have the resources they need as they search for jobs and start new careers.
Eboni’s
Journey: From Struggles to Success
One of those individuals is Eboni Lindsey, also known as Chef Cocoa. As a single mom seeking a better life for her two young daughters, Eboni relocated from New York to the Triad. Like many parents, Eboni struggled to find a job whose work hours matched up with her available childcare. She started selling food plates to earn extra money. Remembering how much she loved to cook, Eboni began to think about turning cooking into a career.
Support Beyond Training
She reached out to Goodwill and learned about the Providence Culinary Training program, a culinary course that Goodwill offers in partnership with Second Harvest FoodBank and Forsyth Tech. After touring the training facility, Eboni decided it was the ideal place for her to learn how a professional kitchen operates and acquire skills to run a catering service. Goodwill’s Outreach Scholarship Fund helped cover the cost
of her training.
A Business is Born
Almost halfway through, Eboni experienced childcare challenges. She turned to Goodwill again. Team members connected her with childcare funding offered through the Winston-Salem Foundation Childcare Grant. Eboni successfully completed her training, which included certifications in ServSafe, Mass Food Production, Catering Production, and Kitchen Safety Skills. After completing an internship, she found a job as a cook, but she had bigger plans for herself. Today, she is the proud owner/operator of COCOAZ FLAVORS, LLC, which caters corporate events, weddings, and other functions. Recently, she came full circle, catering a meeting of the Goodwill Business Advisory Council.
Career Centers: A Gateway to Opportunity
Goodwill provides most of its services through its Career Centers, including two locations in Forsyth County: the Forsyth County Career Center (2701 University Parkway) and the Goodwill Career Center/Prosperity Center (2760 Peters Creek Parkway). The Prosperity Center is a United Way collaborative with Goodwill and Financial Pathways of the Piedmont.
Supportive Services That Make a Difference
Goodwill helps people who are struggling to find work in several ways:
• One-on-one sessions with a Career Connections Specialist to write a resume, practice job interviews, and complete job applications;
• Computers to use for job searching and training;
• Training in in-demand job skills like trades and healthcare;
• Assistance with childcare, housing, and transportation;
career services.
• Free workshops on financial literacy, computer skills, and more;
• Hiring events with local employers.
Specialized Programs for Unique Needs
Goodwill also offers specialized programs for veterans, youth, people who’ve been incarcerated, and people with disabilities. The Access Center partnership with Forsyth Tech helps adults complete their high school educations. A wide range of programs for youth ages 13 to 24 provides tools for young people to reach their full academic and vocational potential.
Employment Services at No Cost Best of all, Goodwill’s employment services are free. Some training programs include a fee paid directly to the instructor, but those can often be covered by Goodwill’s Outreach Scholarship Fund. Goodwill can even cover the costs of clothing needed to start a new job, such as scrubs or kitchen-appropriate shoes.
The Power of Your Donations
That’s all possible thanks to people who donate their gently used clothing and household items to Goodwill and the people who shop there each day. Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina operates 51 retail and outlet stores, including nine in Forsyth County. The next time you pass by a Goodwill store, dig up a treasure in the Goodwill Outlet bins, or drop off a bag of clothing, remember – there’s a story behind every store.
Learn about Goodwill’s services and find your nearest store at www.goodwillnwnc.org.
Eboni Lindsey, also known as Chef Cocoa, and youngest daughter sits with a Goodwill representative to review supportive services for childcare.
Your donations fund career training and support services in your community.
