Pisgah Legal Services Launches Campaign to Help Those Recently Unemployed Due to COVID-19 Find Health Insurance through Special Enrollment Process

Pisgah Legal Services (PLS), a nonprofit that provides free, civil legal aid in Western North Carolina, recently launched a targeted campaign to reach people recently unemployed due to COVID-19 who may have also lost their health insurance. Anyone who has experienced a qualifying life event in the past 60 days, including job loss, may qualify for Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance. Pisgah Legal Services offers free assistance and free information to help understand options for affordable health insurance. To find out more or to make an appointment, visit pisgahlegal.org/aca  or call 828-210-3404.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has left many people without jobs and with that, health insurance,” said Jim Barrett, Executive Director for Pisgah Legal Services. “Many of these people may qualify to file for health insurance through Special Enrollment and it’s our goal to help them understand their options.”

As recently as early May, NC had surpassed the one million mark for individual unemployment insurance benefit claims, as noted on the N.C. Division of Employment website. Almost one-quarter, or 20.3 percent of the 4.97 million North Carolinians listed in the state’s workforce as of mid-March have filed an unemployment insurance claim. “The need is great and will likely grow,” notes Barrett. “Pisgah Legal wants to make sure that no one misses health care coverage as a result of recent job loss.”

When qualifying for a special enrollment period, people do not have to wait until November for Open Enrollment; they can take advantage of options now. One Asheville resident, Christina, lost her job in March and with it, her insurance. She suffers from heart disease and without insurance, was unsure how she would afford her medicines. By working with Pisgah Legal Services, she was able to get a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan for less than $17/month.  “Pisgah Legal took care of everything for me,” said Christina. She hopes others take advantage of this valuable, free service.

Pisgah Legal Services works with organizations in WNC to provide these services across the region. These organizations include: Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Legal Aid or North Carolina, Mountain Projects, Inc., and, Western Carolina Medical Society.

Independence Day events across the country will not look the same this year.

Many communities have been forced to cancel their annual Fourth of July events, including most in Buncombe County. Although the fireworks display at Lake Julian Park will not take place, there are other ways to celebrate locally.

Buncombe County Recreation Services‘ parks and trails will be open, though some areas may be restricted including grills, picnic shelters, and restrooms. Access to the French Broad will be available at our seven river parks. The five outdoor pools operated by Buncombe County will also be open with new safety guidelines.

Park and pool visitors will be required to practice the Three Ws: wear a cloth face covering, wait at least six feet apart from and avoid close contact with anyone who does not live in your household, and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often.

The Asheville Downtown Association will host a virtual Independence Day Celebration in partnership with the City of Asheville with support from Explore Asheville. The online concert will feature eight Asheville area bands performing at local music venues.

Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.

Pisgah Legal Services Launches Campaign to Help Those Recently Unemployed Due to COVID-19 Find Health Insurance through Special Enrollment Process

Pisgah Legal Services (PLS), a nonprofit that provides free, civil legal aid in Western North Carolina, recently launched a targeted campaign to reach people recently unemployed due to COVID-19 who may have also lost their health insurance. Anyone who has experienced a qualifying life event in the past 60 days, including job loss, may qualify for Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance. Pisgah Legal Services offers free assistance and free information to help understand options for affordable health insurance. To find out more or to make an appointment, visit pisgahlegal.org/aca  or call 828-210-3404.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has left many people without jobs and with that, health insurance,” said Jim Barrett, Executive Director for Pisgah Legal Services. “Many of these people may qualify to file for health insurance through Special Enrollment and it’s our goal to help them understand their options.”

As recently as early May, NC had surpassed the one million mark for individual unemployment insurance benefit claims, as noted on the N.C. Division of Employment website. Almost one-quarter, or 20.3 percent of the 4.97 million North Carolinians listed in the state’s workforce as of mid-March have filed an unemployment insurance claim. “The need is great and will likely grow,” notes Barrett. “Pisgah Legal wants to make sure that no one misses health care coverage as a result of recent job loss.”

When qualifying for a special enrollment period, people do not have to wait until November for Open Enrollment; they can take advantage of options now. One Asheville resident, Christina, lost her job in March and with it, her insurance. She suffers from heart disease and without insurance, was unsure how she would afford her medicines. By working with Pisgah Legal Services, she was able to get a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan for less than $17/month.  “Pisgah Legal took care of everything for me,” said Christina. She hopes others take advantage of this valuable, free service.

Pisgah Legal Services works with organizations in WNC to provide these services across the region. These organizations include: Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Legal Aid or North Carolina, Mountain Projects, Inc., and, Western Carolina Medical Society.

Independence Day events across the country will not look the same this year.

Many communities have been forced to cancel their annual Fourth of July events, including most in Buncombe County. Although the fireworks display at Lake Julian Park will not take place, there are other ways to celebrate locally.

Buncombe County Recreation Services‘ parks and trails will be open, though some areas may be restricted including grills, picnic shelters, and restrooms. Access to the French Broad will be available at our seven river parks. The five outdoor pools operated by Buncombe County will also be open with new safety guidelines.

Park and pool visitors will be required to practice the Three Ws: wear a cloth face covering, wait at least six feet apart from and avoid close contact with anyone who does not live in your household, and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often.

The Asheville Downtown Association will host a virtual Independence Day Celebration in partnership with the City of Asheville with support from Explore Asheville. The online concert will feature eight Asheville area bands performing at local music venues.

Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.

Pisgah Legal Services Launches Campaign to Help Those Recently Unemployed Due to COVID-19 Find Health Insurance through Special Enrollment Process

Pisgah Legal Services (PLS), a nonprofit that provides free, civil legal aid in Western North Carolina, recently launched a targeted campaign to reach people recently unemployed due to COVID-19 who may have also lost their health insurance. Anyone who has experienced a qualifying life event in the past 60 days, including job loss, may qualify for Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance. Pisgah Legal Services offers free assistance and free information to help understand options for affordable health insurance. To find out more or to make an appointment, visit pisgahlegal.org/aca  or call 828-210-3404.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has left many people without jobs and with that, health insurance,” said Jim Barrett, Executive Director for Pisgah Legal Services. “Many of these people may qualify to file for health insurance through Special Enrollment and it’s our goal to help them understand their options.”

As recently as early May, NC had surpassed the one million mark for individual unemployment insurance benefit claims, as noted on the N.C. Division of Employment website. Almost one-quarter, or 20.3 percent of the 4.97 million North Carolinians listed in the state’s workforce as of mid-March have filed an unemployment insurance claim. “The need is great and will likely grow,” notes Barrett. “Pisgah Legal wants to make sure that no one misses health care coverage as a result of recent job loss.”

When qualifying for a special enrollment period, people do not have to wait until November for Open Enrollment; they can take advantage of options now. One Asheville resident, Christina, lost her job in March and with it, her insurance. She suffers from heart disease and without insurance, was unsure how she would afford her medicines. By working with Pisgah Legal Services, she was able to get a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan for less than $17/month.  “Pisgah Legal took care of everything for me,” said Christina. She hopes others take advantage of this valuable, free service.

Pisgah Legal Services works with organizations in WNC to provide these services across the region. These organizations include: Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Legal Aid or North Carolina, Mountain Projects, Inc., and, Western Carolina Medical Society.

Independence Day events across the country will not look the same this year.

Many communities have been forced to cancel their annual Fourth of July events, including most in Buncombe County. Although the fireworks display at Lake Julian Park will not take place, there are other ways to celebrate locally.

Buncombe County Recreation Services‘ parks and trails will be open, though some areas may be restricted including grills, picnic shelters, and restrooms. Access to the French Broad will be available at our seven river parks. The five outdoor pools operated by Buncombe County will also be open with new safety guidelines.

Park and pool visitors will be required to practice the Three Ws: wear a cloth face covering, wait at least six feet apart from and avoid close contact with anyone who does not live in your household, and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often.

The Asheville Downtown Association will host a virtual Independence Day Celebration in partnership with the City of Asheville with support from Explore Asheville. The online concert will feature eight Asheville area bands performing at local music venues.

Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.

Learn how to reverse the very real and devastating impact of stress through the SIMPLE practice of instinctive meditation that will profoundly shift your life.

Instinctive meditation means it’s natural and our bodies are wired to do it easily and efficiently. All we need to do is to set up the right conditions and our bodies will eagerly cooperate. Learn the skill set needed to meditate on your own even if you have a racing mind and little spare time.

Dropping into deep relaxation on a regular basis helps you to be calm in the face of overwhelm and urgency, can improve your health, and help you be more responsive and less reactive to challenges.

This will be a live webinar on Zoom. You can attend from anywhere that is comfortable to you. Once you register, you will get instructions on how to log in to the event. You will have the option of having your video on or off. You can also call in using a phone number. Link to zoom class:
https://mailchi.mp/9e1057b0227e/meditation-asheville-salt-cave

We’ll start with the basic principles of this approach. Then you will learn and practice some basic skills. This will be followed by a longer guided meditation where you can incorporate the basic skills. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions during the class.

A weekly Zoom drop-in class in instinctive meditation will run on Wednesdays from 10:00-11:00 am EST starting April 29 and running for 12 weeks.
Drop in as you can. Each class will cover a different technique.