Have you been meaning to check out benefits and costs in the health insurance marketplace? If you keep postponing a search because of your busy schedule, remember that key deadlines are approaching.

Open enrollment is the period in which most people sign up for the quality plans that are almost always paired with savings like tax credits. For coverage to start on Jan. 1, 2024, a plan must be selected by Dec. 15, 2023. Coverage will start by Feb. 2, 2024, for plans selected between Dec. 16, 2023, and Jan. 17, 2024. In addition, coverage won't start until the first premium is paid.

If you would like free help to review your options, contact Enroll Wyoming. In just five to 10 minutes, our trained navigators can provide an estimate of what plans could cost. Just visit enrollwyo.org or call 211 to make an in-person, virtual, or telephone appointment.

We are asking partners and individuals to help spread the word by sharing informational materials through social media and newsletters. Find additional resources here.

Navigator Katie Befus is Enroll Wyoming's new representative in the southwest region who serves Carbon, Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, and Uinta counties.

Why did you apply for the navigator position?

"It wasn't something I had ever heard of before and was interested in finding out what the position was, once I found out I was really excited to be able to help the community."

What needs do you see in the area you serve?

"So many people don't realize that there are insurance options available to them other than job-based (insurance)."

What is one of the best lessons you’ve learned?

"Never assume someone else's situation."

What do you do outside of work?

"We rodeo, hunt, and fish."

Read more responses from Katie here.

In addition to the approaching open enrollment deadlines, there are other dates to keep in mind. When it comes to benefits that don't carry over into the new year, it's use-it-or-lose-it season.

Details may vary, but there are many services that will be less expensive to receive now than in the new year when deductibles reset and new plans start.

If you have a flexible spending account or health savings account, you have a limited amount of time to use the funds for qualified medical expenses.

To learn more, see this Experian article on maximizing benefits.

Use It or Lose It: Maximize Benefits Before the End of Year - Experian

What is LIEAP? The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) is here to help you pay for the high energy bills that come with keeping a home warm in the winter months. LIEAP can help pay for utility bills and weatherize a home. The federally funded program gives priority to households that include elderly (60+), disabled, and/or young children (5 and under). Seasonal LIEAP benefits are applied to a household’s main heat source (the fuel your heat system uses to heat the home; not the power source needed to turn on the furnace). To see if you are eligible for this program, check out the guidelines. The applications close Feb. 29, so get your applications in early!

Where to send applications: You can complete the application online or print the application and place it in the LIEAP drop box at 822 West 23rd Street, Cheyenne, WY 82001. The drop box can be found in front of the building along Snyder Avenue. 

Check out what the LIEAP office is up to by visiting its Facebook page.

-- Watch the next Enroll Wyoming update video at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30. Watch for the video on Facebook or YouTube.

Enroll Wyoming will be at the Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library on Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Jan. 15. Call 307-461-9099 for an appointment.

Enroll Wyoming will be open for office hours from 1-3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, at the Campbell County Public Library on 2101 South 4-J Road in Gillette.

-- Enroll Wyoming will be available to work with people from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 11 at the Natrona County Public Library on 307 East Second Street in Casper. Call 307-274-2312 to schedule an appointment.

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To submit a flyer for an upcoming edition of The Buzz, email caleb@enrollwyo.org.

Click HERE for Enroll Wyoming job listings.

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1-888-235-7138