Making sense of the insurance options available to you and your family is never easy. Between coinsurance, deductibles and in-and-out of network policies, you are in good company if you feel overwhelmed. Since you know, however, that your health insurance decisions can significantly impact your finances and your family’s physical and mental well-being, it’s important that you choose well.
Luckily, Eskenazi Health Financial Eligibility Services is available to assist patients during Marketplace Open Enrollment, which began Nov. 1 and will end on Jan. 15, 2026. The Eskenazi Health Financial Eligibility Services team can help you weigh the pros and cons of the numerous health care coverage programs available so that you can determine the best coverage option/s for you and your family. You can visit them during regular business hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday) at the Frank & Katrina Basile Financial Counseling Center on the downtown campus, at Eskenazi Health Center West 38th Street, and at Eskenazi Health Thomas & Arlene Grande Campus. Eskenazi Health staff members are also available to assist and guide patients at all Eskenazi Health Center and Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center locations.
To find updated hours and the locations of Eskenazi Health Center and Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center sites, visit eskenazihealth.edu/programs/financial-counseling. To schedule an appointment, simply call 1-855-202-1053 or use Eskenazi Health MyChart online. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Whatever you do, don’t just stare at the Health Insurance Marketplace screen, feeling frustrated as you scroll through all of the plans. There is assistance out there for you. In addition to the financial counselors at Eskenazi Health, you will find that Marketplace staff members are trained to walk you through your options as well as explain the process, so don’t hesitate to call them for help (1-800-318-2596). Be sure to ask any questions you have about whether you qualify for savings due to your income after reading the Marketplace tips at healthcare.gov/quick-guide/one-page-guide-to-the-marketplace. If you’ve been asked for any documents in the past during enrollment, you can always refresh your memory about what those types of documents might be by going to healthcare.gov/verify-information/documents-and-deadlines. The Marketplace staff members are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week except for on holidays to answer questions on these and other issues.
It is always a relief when you finally select a plan, but you will feel better before and after you do if you’ve taken the time to get expert guidance from Eskenazi Health financial counselors in person and/or Marketplace staff members by phone. As with previous years, if you’d like your insurance coverage to begin on Jan. 1, 2026, you will need to complete enrollment by Dec. 15, 2025, so don’t delay. Additional information about the 2026 open enrollment period can be found at healthcare.gov/apply-and-enroll/get-ready-to-apply.
Broderick Rhyant, M.D., chief physician executive with Eskenazi Health Center Grande
