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Somewhere between 16% and more than 50% of county residents lack health insurance. The good news is that help is available.

Eagle County Public Health Director Heath Harmon said a new program, Cover All Coloradans, is a new insurance program being offered through the state. That program is being offered to all residents, regardless of immigration status, for pregnant women and people 18 and younger. The program offers full coverage to people who are otherwise eligible for Medicaid/CHP+, and the coverage also includes 12 months of postpartum coverage.

According to the state’s health coverage comparison tool, people may be eligible for more than one of several plans offered through the state.

Harmon said information is available through the county’s public health department, as well as and the.

The county’s public health department is also now offering through its website access to , a website that can help people access various assistance and tax credit programs.

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In a recent Eagle County Board of Health work session with the Eagle County Board of Commissioners, Harmon noted that the website provides screening tools explaining what benefits and tax credits individuals and families can qualify for. A single person can qualify for between $10,000 and $15,000 in tax credits, he said.

In a telephone interview, Harmon said the MyFriendBen screening tool takes six minutes or less to complete, and the results can help “keep money in your pocket.”

In addition to people at the county’s public health department, MIRA and Mountain Family Health Centers have specialists who can help walk people through the screening and application processes.

Noting there are longer-term efforts in the works this year, both through the county and other channels, Harmon said, “These are short-term efforts to bolster the health care systems.”