Category: Uncategorized

Tax Day is coming on Wednesday, April 15, 2020. With the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the tax filing date remains April 15.  For those who are required to make a payment, however, you will still need to file by April 15, but, for most Americans, the payment will be extended for 90 days

Need help with tax preparation? If your household makes less than $66,000 a year, you are eligible for free tax preparation and filing assistance from the Opportunity Council. To learn more, visit the Whatcom Asset Building Coalition website.

By now, you have probably received either Form 1095-A, 1095-B, or 1095-C in the mail. You may have received one, two, or all three of these forms, depending on your health insurance coverage in 2019.

Form 1095-A, also known as the “Health Insurance Marketplace Statement,” is sent to everyone who had a Qualified Health Plan in 2019. It is mailed out by Washington Health Plan Finder. You can find an electronic copy on your Washington Health Plan Finder account dashboard. Use this form to fill out IRS Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit, which needs to be included in your federal income tax return when you file. This information determines if you received the right amount of tax credits to help you pay your plan’s premium.

Form 1095-B shows proof of health insurance coverage for 2019. If you had Washington Apple Health insurance coverage last year, you will receive this form. This form may also be mailed out by your private health insurance company or your employer. Form 1095-B is not needed to file your federal tax return, but it is important to keep for your records.

Form 1095-C is called the “Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage.” This form will be mailed out by your employer to show proof of coverage in 2019. Form 1095-C is not needed to file your federal tax return, but is important to keep for your records.

Hepatitis C is a serious disease that harms the liver. It is caused by a virus and spreads from person to person through contact with blood. Without treatment, Hepatitis C can lead to scarring of the liver, liver cancer, and liver failure. But most people don’t even know they have Hepatitis C. Most people with Hepatitis C don’t have any symptoms.

The good news is that screening for Hepatitis C is as easy as a blood test, and new drugs can treat Hepatitis C quite effectively.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you be tested for Hepatitis C if you:

• Were born from 1945 – 1965
• Received donated blood or organs before 1992
• Have ever injected drugs, even just once many years ago

If you fall into any of these categories and have never been screened for Hepatitis C, get screened! Call (360) 676-6177 to make an appointment today. Learn more here.

Unity Care NW is excited to announce that our Board of Directors has selected Jodi Joyce as Unity Care NW’s next Chief Executive Officer. Joyce, who currently serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Quality & Patient Safety and Chief Quality Officer at University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics, will succeed Desmond Skubi, the agency’s current CEO, at the end of January 2020.

“I am honored to accept this role and am inspired by the vision, passion, and expertise of the individuals who make up Unity Care NW,” said Joyce. “This organization has thrived under Mr. Skubi’s leadership, and I look forward to helping lead the next chapter as we continue to serve Whatcom County’s residents and communities in pursuing our healthiest possible lives.” 

Jodi has been at the University of Illinois in Chicago since October 2012. UI Hospital and its network of 12 federally qualified health centers provide access and care for many of Chicago’s most underserved communities. During her time at UI Health, Jodi and her colleagues have led a large “improvement journey” that has resulted in substantial improvements in quality and patient safety. She also teaches courses on quality, safety, leadership, and change management at several of UIC’s health sciences schools. Jodi’s former roles include Vice President for Quality & Patient Safety at Legacy Health, a six-hospital system based in Portland, Oregon, and co-founder and Chief Operating Officer for Kaiser Permanente’s Care Management Institute.

Jodi has prior experience in health care consulting and hospital management and began her career as a neonatal ICU nurse. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Wheaton College (IL), her BSN at Northwestern University, and her MBA at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. Jodi is currently nearing the completion of a PhD at UIC.

2018 Event photo.  Credit: Edye Collelo-Morton

Unity Care NW is proud to participate again in Project Homeless Connect, on Friday July 19th from 8am to 4pm at the Bellingham High School.This one-day, one-stop event provides a wide range of free services with respectful and generous hospitality for people in Whatcom County experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis. Local Project Homeless Connect events began in 2007 and have continued as part of the Whatcom County Plan to End Homelessness. Recent Project Homeless Connect events have included:

• dental services
• general medical services
• haircuts
• vision and hearing screenings
• housing intakes
• Department of Licensing photo ID’s
• foot care
• counseling/behavioral health care
• employment screenings
• health insurance assistance
• legal and dispute resolution counsel
• General Assistance Unemployable (GAU) and Social Security benefit assistance (SSA)
• massage and chiropractic treatment
• literacy and library assistance
• pet care

Interested in volunteering?  Learn more here.