Horizon BCBSNJ joins with HolaDoctor in opening new health insurance center in Jersey City to help Hispanic residents find quality, affordable health coverage
Newark, NJ (PRWEB) November 09, 2015 -- Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) and HolaDoctor today announced the opening of a new enrollment and service location in Jersey City focused on helping Hispanic and other residents obtain affordable health insurance coverage. HolaDoctor Insurance Services, located at 353 Central Avenue, will provide North Jersey residents with one-on-one assistance from bilingual agents who will help them enroll in an affordable Horizon BCBSNJ insurance plan and provide them with ongoing service throughout the year.
“Nearly one of five Hispanic residents in New Jersey remains uninsured, and those who have coverage face many cultural and language barriers to accessing the health care system,” said Christopher M. Lepre, senior vice president, Market Business Units for Horizon BCBSNJ. “Horizon proudly supports HolaDoctor Insurance Services as the centerpiece of a statewide strategy to enroll Hispanic residents and empower them to take control of their health with affordable coverage,” Lepre said.
“Health insurance literacy is the prime objective of HolaDoctor because too many Latinos and other underserved populations have misconceptions about the cost of health care, their responsibilities to carry coverage and how to find doctors who can understand their language and needs,” said Roberto Estrada, President & CEO of HolaDoctor. “By partnering with Horizon, we will be able to guide Hispanic customers to a plan that best suits their needs and be here for them throughout the year to answer questions.”
Located in the Heights section of Jersey City, HolaDoctor Insurance Services is a new broker sales and service location staffed by ten bilingual agents – trained by Horizon BCBSNJ. The center is open seven days a week, from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm during the 2016 open enrollment period that continues through January of next year, and will be open six days per week throughout the year. Visitors will be able to choose from a wide selection of Horizon BCBSNJ plans, including five new OMNIA plans for 2016.
Approximately 28 percent of Jersey City residents are of Hispanic descent, while one in five residents statewide is Hispanic. Horizon BCBSNJ is also staffing four mall locations – including the Newport Center Mall in Jersey City – and retail center in Moorestown with Spanish-speaking agents.
‘Horizon understands the importance of bridging the language and cultural gaps that can interfere with Hispanics’ access to preventive and acute health care services,” said Carlos Medina, Chairman of the New Jersey Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “This new center literally opens the doors to a fresh awareness of how Hispanics can buy and use affordable coverage,” Medina said.
“Our new OMNIA plans will be very attractive because of low premiums and the ability for consumers to save significantly on out-of-pocket costs,” said Michael J. Considine, vice president of Consumer and Small Group Market for Horizon BCBSNJ. “Our portfolio of user-friendly consumer tools and our Spanish-language website, Horizonazul.com, will also make our plans uniquely attractive to Hispanic residents for their health coverage needs,” Considine added.
The HolaDoctor Insurance Services location is one of many ways that Horizon BCBSNJ has been active in the Jersey City community. Horizon representatives travel to community schools and Hispanic-owned restaurants in Hudson County as part of a special program to increase Hispanic’s literacy of health insurance.
Last month, the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey – the company’s philanthropic arm – became a Founding sponsor of Citi Bike, Jersey City’s bike share program, and has offered Horizon BCBSNJ employees who live in Jersey City incentives to participate in Citi Bike.
About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state's oldest and largest health insurer is a tax-paying, not-for-profit health service corporation, providing a wide array of medical, dental, vision, and prescription insurance products and services. Horizon BCBSNJ is leading the transformation of health care in New Jersey by working with doctors and hospitals to deliver innovative, patient-centered programs that reward the quality, not quantity, of care patients receive. Learn more at HorizonBlue.com. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association serving more than 3.8 million members.
About HolaDoctor
HolaDoctor® is a leader in health services for Hispanics. Founded in 1999, HolaDoctor® manages the largest online community of Hispanics interested in health and wellness and is the exclusive health insurance partner of Univision Interactive Media. HolaDoctor also offers strategic marketing, communications and consulting services to healthcare companies looking to do business with Hispanic consumers. The company has extensive experience with health insurance, obesity and diabetes among other areas which are essential to increasing access to care and reducing disparities among Hispanics. HolaDoctor is based in Atlanta, Georgia, with offices in South Florida and Latin America. For more information, visit http://www.holadoctor.net
Thomas Vincz, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, +1 (973) 466-6625, [email protected]
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