Battier Joins Push To Sign People Up For ACA
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Miami Heat forward Shane Battier will become the third member of the organization to make a public push to get people signed up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
Battier joins Heat legend Alonzo Mourning and superstar LeBron James as members who have advocated for everyone to sign up for the ACA.
According to theHill.com, Battier will join Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on a conference call later Tuesday to discuss the costs of common sports injuries and to encourage young and old fans to sign up if they don't have health insurance.
"For those without health insurance, these injuries—which can happen to anyone, regardless of overall health status—can be very expensive," Sebelius wrote on an HHS blog Tuesday. "A sprained ankle, for example, can cost you $2,290, and charges for a broken arm, for example, average nearly $7,700. This can be a huge financial blow to young people and families alike."
The White House also released a "16 Sweetest Reasons to Get Covered" bracket that listed the top reasons to sign up for health care coverage on Monday. The brackets featured introductions from University of North Carolina head coach Roy Williams and UConn women's head coach Geno Auriemma.
The White House announced Monday that more than 5 million people had signed up for health care on the health care exchanges, despite a botched roll-out that cost the program customers last October.
The Congressional Budget Office originally forecast 7 million American would sign up for health care on the exchanges. The number was revised to 6 million and that goal looks like it's within reach for the administration.
The deadline to sign up for coverage this year is March 31.
To sign up, click here or call 1-800-318-2596