Early Voting Underway & Free Help with Health Care Insurance

October 24, 2024


The November election is just a few weeks away, and you have an opportunity to vote early. Check out the Early Voting section below to see when and where you can cast a ballot in October or November.

A local organization that helps those in need celebrated a major milestone. The Windham Area Interfaith Ministry turned 40 last week. Please keep scrolling to learn how the facility provides a lending hand.
 
Our state offers a wonderful free service for anyone who needs help with health care insurance. The Office of Health Advocate can help people get approved for coverage or procedures. Read below to find out how to contact them and possibly get much-needed relief.

Here are the sections in today's email:

  • Early Voting Is Underway
  • Let's Talk About It: 40 Year Anniversary for Windham Area Interfaith Ministry
  • Get Free Help With Health Care Insurance
 
Early Voting Is Underway
Early voting is underway, and there was a huge turnout across the state. The Secretary of State's office said more than 56,000 people cast a ballot on Monday. Early voting will continue through Sunday, November 3. It's the first time this option is available for a general election in Windham.

Any registered voter may cast their ballot during the early voting period.
Click here to register now or ensure your registration is up to date
Registered voters can cast an early ballot at Windham Town Hall inside Bellingham Auditorium through Sunday, November 3 from 10 A.M. – 6 P.M. and from 8 A.M.–8 P.M. on Tuesday, October 29 and Thursday, October 31.


You may also vote on Election Day, which is Tuesday, November 5, at your polling station. Connecticut also has same day registration available on election day at Windham Town Hall for voters who need it.

Talk to your friends and family about registering to vote and ask them what their voting plan is for October and November. Discuss transportation, time off work, or any assistance they might need to cast a ballot. If you chat about those important items and remind them of the importance of their vote, they are more likely to take part in the upcoming election.
 
Let's Talk About It: 40 Year Anniversary for Windham Area Interfaith Ministry
We discussed the big celebration at the Windham Area Interfaith Ministry (WAIM) on my weekly radio show “Let’s Talk About It.” WAIM celebrated 40 years since its opening and its executive director, Susan Hunter, shared how the facility continues to bring people of different faiths together to help those in need.
Courtesy: Nicole Zappone/Willimantic Chronicle
WAIM provides basic needs and support for our most vulnerable. Its goal is to keep people safely housed while meeting their basic material needs and connecting them with resources. WAIM accepts donations such as:
  • Furniture
  • Clothing
  • Diapers
  • Appliances

You can drop off your smaller donations at WAIM’s loading dock on Riverside Drive from Tuesday – Saturday from 9 A.M. – 12 P.M. You can also schedule pick-ups for larger items such as refrigerators, washers, and driers. CLICK HERE for more information.
WAIM also provides emergency financial assistance to help folks cover rent or mortgage payments, utility bills, transportation expenses, and other basic needs.
 
Please click on the video below to listen to the entire show.
Susan Hunter shares how WAIM supports those in need in our community.
 
Get Free Help With Health Care Insurance
Connecticut has a fabulous free resource in the Office of Health Advocate (OHA), an independent state agency available to help everyone understand, navigate, and resolve health care insurance plan decisions on coverage, billing, denials of services and claims, and other health care related issues.

The OHA also helps if you believe an insurance company wrongly denies a procedure. Kathy Holt, the Acting Healthcare Advocate, recently shared a couple of encouraging stories. The first involves an insurance company that denied a woman’s prior authorization for a medically necessary outpatient procedure to treat varicose veins. The OHA intervened, and the insurance company approved the procedure, saving that woman $3,667.
The second story involves a person who unsuccessfully tried to get coverage for a year-and-a-half for specialized glasses she needed to see after recovering from a stroke. The OHA team obtained a one-time exception from the insurance company saving that person $3,600.

If you need assistance with health care insurance, contact the Office of Health Advocate at (866) 466-4446 or (860) 331-2440 or send an email here. The OHA may provide relief from your insurance confusion.