GetCovered WNC/Milltown Health Care Initiative
PRESS RELEASE – July 21, 2023 / Media Contact: Patsy Davis, [email protected] or 828-492-4124
GetCovered WNC/Milltown Health Care Initiative – providing relief for premium costs and expert help on getting health insurance
Canton, N.C. – A program to assist those who have lost health insurance due to the closure of Pactiv Evergreen is well underway thanks to a joint effort between Mountain Projects, United Way of Haywood County, and Haywood County government.
Through funding support from Dogwood Health Trust, former mill workers, or those downsized in other businesses because of the Pactiv Evergreen closure, can receive assistance from Mountain Projects’ certified application counselors to help find healthcare coverage that’s right for them and their family members. Workers may also receive up to $500 per family member per month as reimbursement for health insurance premiums.
Jan Plummer from Mountain Projects has been leading the effort to let mill employees know of health insurance options. “We are seeing more and more folks coming through, now that the reality of the mill closure is setting in,” she said. “We are here to listen, answer questions, provide information, and walk everyone through health insurance options that are available to them. Having funding to assist with costly premiums is a huge relief to many who are facing the sticker shock of coverage costs.”
Certified Application Counselors at Mountain Projects are experienced in wading through the complexities of insurance options. United Way of Haywood County will disburse funds to assist with premium cost reimbursement. The reimbursements are non-taxable and are available to displaced workers for coverage costs that occur July 2023 through December 2023.
“We’re very pleased to have this program up and running quickly. There is an urgency to the help we want to provide because employer-sponsored insurance for most Pactiv Evergreen workers runs out at the end of July. We encourage everyone to explore their options and don’t delay the decision to stay covered,” said Celesa Willett, executive director of United Way of Haywood County. “A lapse in coverage can be financially devastating and discourages folks from seeking the care they might need for themselves or their families.”
For more information about the GetCovered WNC/Milltown Health Care Initiative visit:
Get Covered WNC – GetCoveredWNC or Losing Your Health Insurance And Don’t Know What To Do? Get Help NOW! | Mill Town Strong
Appointments can be scheduled online at https://calendly.com/mpinc between 8am -5pm, Monday – Thursday; Or workers can call Mountain Projects – 828-452-1447 to schedule an appointment by phone.
Online applications are available at MountainProjects.org.
For other inquiries, contact Celesa Willett, United Way of Haywood County by email [email protected] or by phone, 828-356-2832.
