MIAMI — Epilepsy Florida, a designated Affordable Care Act (ACA) Healthcare Navigator assister organization, will be providing free healthcare navigation services to uninsured consumers of Okeechobee County and Palm Beach County during Open Enrollment. Open enrollment began Nov. 1, and runs through Jan. 15, 2022. Okeechobee consumers can call Epilepsy Florida toll-free at 1-877-553-7453 to schedule an appointment with an Epilepsy Florida Navigator. Navigators are available seven days a week virtually and at the Okeechobee County Public Library Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 am to 5 pm.

Epilepsy Florida’s trained specialists, called Navigators, are available to assist families and other underserved communities gain access to health coverage options through the Marketplace, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). They can assist with enrollment applications and help consumers receive financial assistance through HealthCare.gov. Epilepsy Florida provides assistance to people with limited English proficiency in English, Spanish, and Creole languages.

All Navigators have undergone federally regulated training, and their services are free and unbiased; Navigators also have no financial stake in the plans consumers select.

“This year we are going from a small team of 7 Navigators serving a dense South Florida population, to a team of about 30 Navigators and an expansion into the Treasure Coast,” said Karen Basha Egozi, President & CEO of Epilepsy Florida. “As the lead healthcare enrollment experts in South Florida, we know that four out of five consumers will be able to find a healthcare plan for under $10.00 a month and our goal is to help as many consumers understand their options and get covered.” Epilepsy Florida is funded through the University of South Florida as part of a 10-member consortium, under which it is subcontracted to provide Navigation services to the South Florida and Treasure Coast regions – a total of eight counties, including: Okeechobee Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River. It has been awarded a total of $7,032,544.80 over the span of three years ($2,344,181.62 per year) and has helped educate and navigate more than 3 million Floridians since the Affordable Healthcare Act became law. For more information about Epilepsy Florida and its services, visit www.epilepsyfl.com