Charles Gaba's blog

Washington HealthPlan Finder

via the Washington HealthPlan Finder:

Washington Healthplanfinder Open Enrollment Ends This Week

  • Customers have until Saturday, Jan. 15 to select 2022 health care coverage

Olympia, WA: Washingtonians still seeking health care coverage for 2022 must act now to select a plan on Washington Healthplanfinder, the state’s online health insurance marketplace. The annual open enrollment period, which allows anyone to sign up for coverage, ends this Saturday, Jan. 15. Customers have until midnight on Saturday to sign up for coverage which begins Feb. 1.

Anyone seeking assistance signing up for coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder may contact the Customer Support Center at 1-855-923-4633; TTY: 855-627-9604. Throughout this year’s open enrollment period, Customer Support Center wait times have averaged less than thirty seconds.

ACA Signups Logo

This Just In from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reports that 13.8 million Americans have signed up for or were automatically re-enrolled in 2022 individual market health insurance coverage through the Marketplaces since the start of the 2022 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period (OEP) on November 1. This includes 9.7 million plan selections in the 33 states using the HealthCare.gov for the 2022 plan year, through December 15, 2021, the deadline for January 1 coverage.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Methodology reminders:

  • I go by county residents who have received the 2nd COVID-19 shot only (or 1st in the case of the J&J vaccine).
    • (data for 3rd/booster shots aren't available at the county level in most states yet)
  • I base my percentages on the total population via the 2020 U.S. Census as opposed to adults only or those over 11 years old (or even over 4 years old).
  • For most states + DC I use the daily data from the Centers for Disease Control, but there are some where the CDC is either missing county-level data entirely or where the CDC data is less than 90% complete at the county level. Therefore:
    • For Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia, I'm using data from the COVID Act Now Risk & Vaccine Tracker database
      • NOTE: I've started using the official state health department dashboard for Virginia this week due to some weirdness in the COVID Act Now data. Unfortunatley the VA Health Dept. dashboard doesn't allow you to export, view or download all 95 counties/city-counties at once, making this a tedious effort, so I'm not sure how I'll deal with it going forward.
Access Health CT Logo

Via Access Health CT's News/Press Releases page:

Stats as of January 7, 2022

Qualified Health Plans (QHP):

  • QHP Enrollment In 2022 Coverage: 108,690
  • 2022 OE Acquisition Summary: 15,618

Medicaid:

  • Completed applications/redeterminations processed through the integrated eligibility system: 20,969

I'm not entirely sure what the 15,618 figure refers to, but I've confirmed that it's already included in the larger number.

Last year's final OEP enrollment tally for Connecticut was 104,946 QHP selections, which they're now 3.6% ahead of...with one week left for CT residents to get covered.

They also issued this press release:

Access Health CT Open Enrollment Deadline is January 15, 2022

Maryland Health Connection

via Maryland Health Connection:

MARYLANDERS HAVE JUST 10 DAYS TO GET HEALTH COVERAGE STARTING FEB. 1

  • Enroll in a health plan by Jan. 15

(BALTIMORE) — Marylanders can enroll in a 2022 health plan and get savings through Maryland Health Connection. until Jan. 15, 2022, for coverage beginning Feb. 1.

“We encourage all Marylanders to get their COVID vaccine, including their booster if they are eligible. All COVID vaccines are free,” said Michele Eberle, executive director of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. “Because the virus is unpredictable, the next best thing you can do is get a health plan so you can be prepared for whatever happens. Give yourself the peace of mind that comes with having health insurance. Now is not the time to leave your health to chance.”

BeWellNM Logo

This just in via BeWell NM, New Mexico's new state-based ACA exchange website:

Below you will find a summary of the Open Enrollment Period through week 9. The overview includes, but is not limited to:

  • application
  • plan selections
  • new enrollees
  • enrollees renewing coverage
  • call center volume
  • website traffic

In week nine of the 2022 Open Enrollment Period, over 43,000 New Mexicans have a plan selection, representing year-over-year growth. Over 33% of enrollees had in-person assistance (agents, brokers, or enrollment counselors). Individuals have until January 15th to enroll, and can opt in for coverage to start in January of February.

Final numbers, where accounts have been reviewed for errors or duplication, will be reported at the appropriate time after Open Enrollment.

The hard number breakout through January 1, 2022:

COVID-19 Vaccine

Methodology reminders:

  • I go by county residents who have received the 2nd COVID-19 shot only (or 1st in the case of the J&J vaccine).
    • (data for 3rd/booster shots aren't available at the county level in most states yet)
  • I base my percentages on the total population via the 2020 U.S. Census as opposed to adults only or those over 11 years old (or even over 4 years old).
  • For most states + DC I use the daily data from the Centers for Disease Control, but there are some where the CDC is either missing county-level data entirely or where the CDC data is less than 90% complete at the county level. Therefore:
    • For Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia, I'm using data from the COVID Act Now Risk & Vaccine Tracker database
      • NOTE: There's several counties in Virginia where I'm using the official state health department dashboard instead this week specifically due to some weirdness in the COVID Act Now data. If these issues continue I may have to switch to the state dashboard for all counties for VA going forward, which would be a royal pain given the inability to export every county at once.
Nevada Health Link Logo

A reminder from Nevada Health Link:

Last Chance to Enroll in Health Insurance through Nevada Health Link’s Open Enrollment

  • Nevadans have until January 15 to enroll in health and dental plans on NevadaHealthLink.com

(CARSON CITY, NV) – Nevadans have 10 days left to enroll in health and dental plans during the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) through NevadaHealthLink.com. Nevada Health Link, operated by the state agency, the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange (Exchange), is Nevada’s online marketplace connecting individuals to affordable health and dental coverage. Nevadans have until 11:59 p.m. on January 15 to enroll in plans, with coverage beginning February 1.

Surprise!

 

Just over a year ago, after years of bipartisan attempts to tackle one of the uglier problems with the U.S. healthcare system, Congress somehow ended up quietly slipping in a bill which resolved a large chunk of the issue with minimal fanfare:

Over at the New York Times, Sarah Kliff and Margot Sanger-Katz have written an excellent summary of the problem and the proposed solution:

Surprise bills happen when an out-of-network provider is unexpectedly involved in a patient’s care. Patients go to a hospital that accepts their insurance, for example, but get treated there by an emergency room physician who doesn’t. Such doctors often bill those patients for large fees, far higher than what health plans typically pay.

MNsure Logo

via MNsure:

Don’t Miss Out! MNsure’s Open Enrollment Period Ending Soon

ST. PAUL, Minn.—Minnesotans looking for private health insurance have until Saturday, January 15, to enroll in coverage through MNsure, the state’s health insurance exchange. Minnesotans who enroll by the January 15 deadline will have coverage starting on February 1, 2022.

“Don’t miss out on your chance to get comprehensive health insurance in 2022,” said MNsure CEO Nate Clark. “This year there are more opportunities than ever before to get savings that can lower the monthly cost of your health insurance. Visit MNsure.org to find a plan that works for you.”

Most Minnesotans – including families with middle incomes – qualify for advanced premium tax credits that instantly lower the monthly cost of health insurance. Access to these savings is only available through MNsure.

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