Kynect pic Kynect, Kentucky’s health benefit exchange, began its second annual open enrollment period on November 15 and will run through February 15, 2015. Governor Steve Beshear’s communications office reports that the first day of enrollment showed strong interest from Kentuckians as they began shopping for health coverage. Kentucky has remained a national leader in enrollment in health care coverage through kynect. In 2014, Kentucky had the second-highest reduction of uninsured people in the country, falling from 20.4% in 2013 to 11.9% midway through 2014. However, there are still thousands of Kentuckians in need of insurance.

Plans available to shoppers cover essential health benefits, pre-existing conditions, and preventive care, but dental and vision benefits vary. Health plans don’t have to include adult dental coverage, only pediatric dental coverage. Through kynect, shoppers are able to buy stand-alone family dental plans at an additional cost. Despite the additional costs, 82 individuals enrolled in dental plans on the first day of open enrollment. As of Monday, November 21st, 815 individuals have enrolled in dental plans in Kentucky. These statistics are continually updated on Gov. Beshear’s website.

Several changes have been implemented this open enrollment period to improve Kynect, including:

  • Enhancements at kynect.ky.gov to make seeing costs, options, and enrolling even easier
  • A kynect mobile app for Android and Apple devices that can gives a preliminary estimate and guides Kentuckians to help or enrollment events in their area
  • Additional call center staff and capacity
  • A full-service enrollment retail storefront at the Fayette Mall in Lexington

To learn more about affordable health care options for Kentuckians, visit kynect.ky.gov or call 1-855-4kynect (459-6328).