Lakeview Regional offers health insurance assistance hotline

Covington, LA—Taking care of the community’s health needs extends beyond just treating physical illness. It also involves caring for patients’ peace of mind and working to ensure patients have access to the care and resources they need. To address that need, Lakeview Hospital , a campus of Tulane Medical Center, is offering a free health insurance hotline to assist anyone who has experienced a change in health insurance status due to loss of employment or other effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anyone who needs assistance finding health insurance coverage can call 833.541.5757 from 8:00am – 6:00pm, Monday through Friday.

“The last few months have been stressful for everyone in our community, but for those that have also lost health insurance, the stress level rises exponentially,” said Hiral Patel, Lakeview Regional CEO. “When this crisis began, we set up a COVID-19 health hotline to answer health-related questions; now, as we come out on the other side, we want to be there to help our patients move forward in the recovery process.”

Hotline advisors can discuss eligibility and advocacy services appropriate for a variety of scenarios, such as:

• Continuing your employer’s existing plan if you have recently lost your job (COBRA and other options)
• Applying for coverage via a spouse’s benefit program
• Finding resources that may help offset the costs of health insurance
• Applying for Medicaid and other government healthcare options for those that meet specific criteria
• Exploring state and federal health insurance exchanges (such as the Affordable Care Act) and how to enroll due to a changing life event

The hotline, which is managed by Lakeview Hospital parent company LCMC Health, does not represent any other company or sell insurance plans, and there is no cost for the service.

“We encourage anyone who needs it to call the hotline to receive free, confidential, and personalized guidance,” said Patel. “Our goal is to help patients find the information they need that is unique to their situation so they can manage their healthcare and that of their family.”

More information about the hotline and other things Lakeview Regional is doing to respond to the COVID-19 health crisis can be found at LakeviewRegional.com.