Get Covered

OK, there isn't supposed to be a formal Open Enrollment Period report out for another week, but President Biden just tweeted out a pretty impressive topline number for the first week of the 2024 ACA Open Enrollment Period:

In the first week of Open Enrollment, 1.6 million people have signed up for a plan at HealthCare.Gov, including 301,000 new consumers – that’s a 50% increase from last year.

Join them by visiting HealthCare.Gov today.

— President Biden (@POTUS) November 9, 2023

This is excellent news, but it does bear some analysis even without any additional details being included.

Back in April, the Associated Press reported that the Biden Administration planned on opening up eligibility for ACA exchange, Basic Health Program, Medicaid & CHIP coverage to hundreds of thousands of Americans who have Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals status:

President Joe Biden is set to announce that his administration is expanding eligibility for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges to hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, according to two U.S. officials briefed on the matter.

The action will allow participants in the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, to access government-funded health insurance programs. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter before the formal announcement on Thursday.

As I noted at the time:

As long-time readers know, every year during the ACA Open Enrollment Period (OEP) I have a tradition of regularly updating a graph tracking how many Americans have enrolled in on-exchange Qualified Health Plan (QHP) policies nationally. The Graph®, as I've come to call it, is how this entire website got started; the logo for ACA Signups even consists of a stylized version of the original version from the 2013 - 2014 OEP.

That first year I attempted to track every conceivable population--on-exchange QHPs, off-exchange QHPs, Medicaid expansion enrollment, SHOP (ACA small business exchange) enrollees) and even the amorphous "sub-26er" populations of young adults enrolled in their parents employer plans thanks to ACA provisions. Some of these were nearly impossible to accurately estimate, but I really tried my best.

Over the next year or two, I not only dropped the categories which I wasn't able to track properly, my tracking of the remaining ones became much more streamlined and sophisticated. Eventually I decided to stick with just two categories: On-exchange QHPs and those enrolled in the Basic Health Plan (BHP) programs in Minnesota and New York.

Well, it's not much, but we have our first official 2024 ACA Open Enrollment Period enrollment report, out of Connecticut:

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

Stats as of November 3, 2023

Qualified Health Plans (QHP):

  • QHP Enrollment In 2023 Coverage: 3,208
  • 2024 OE Acquisition Summary: 834

Medicaid:

  • Completed applications/redeterminations processed through the integrated eligibility system: 2,151

It's my understanding that "Acquisition Summary" refers to CT residents who are brand-new enrollees (never enrolled via the exchange before).

via Pennie, Pennsylvania's state-based ACA exchange:

Harrisburg, PA – November 1, 2023, marks the beginning of Pennie’s 2024 Open Enrollment Period, which is the annual time when Pennsylvanians who need health coverage can find high-quality health plans at the lowest costs.

Pennie is Pennsylvania’s official health insurance marketplace, and the only source for financial savings to lower monthly premium payments or out-of-pocket costs. Nine out of 10 Pennie customers qualify for financial savings.

Pennie ensures that all plans available provide access to a wide range of medical services, including hospitalization, prescription drugs, maternity care, mental health services, and much more. Health plans through Pennie must cover care for pre-existing conditions, offer free preventive services, and provide important financial protections.

via Access Health CT:

Connecticut residents can work one-on-one with enrollment specialists to help them shop, compare and enroll in quality health coverage

HARTFORD, Conn. (Nov. 2, 2023) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced it will hold six enrollment fairs in November to help Connecticut residents shop, compare, and enroll or renew their health coverage during the current Open Enrollment period. Enrollment fairs are one-day events that provide customers free, in-person help from enrollment specialists. These events will take place in Danbury, Hartford, New Haven, New London, Stamford and West Haven.

via DC Health Link:

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

DC Health Link Open Enrollment Begins Today, Runs Through January 31, 2024; Monthly Premiums Start as Low as $13/Month

Washington, DC–Today, as the 2024 Open Enrollment period begins, Mayor Muriel Bowser and DC Health Link encourage residents to sign up for high-quality, affordable health insurance at DCHealthLink.com, the District’s online state-based health insurance marketplace. Open Enrollment for DC individuals and families begins today, November 1, 2023, and runs through January 31, 2024.

“Making sure everyone in DC has access to comprehensive, affordable health insurance is one of the many ways we are working to keep DC healthy and our residents’ healthcare costs down,” said Mayor Bowser. “Whether you are uninsured and need a policy or are looking for a more affordable way to keep you and your family covered, there is a plan for you at DCHealthLink.com.”

via the Maine Dept. of Health & Human Services:

As Open Enrollment launches today, tens of thousands of Mainers qualify for help to pay their monthly premiums

AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced today that Maine people can now visit CoverME.gov to shop for and enroll in 2024 coverage that fits their needs at a price that works during the Open Enrollment Period that kicks off today, November 1, 2023.

At CoverME.gov, Maine's Health Insurance Marketplace, Maine people can compare private plans, apply for financial savings, and enroll in a 2024 health or dental insurance plan. All plans offered on CoverME.gov provide quality, comprehensive insurance that protects consumers if they have an accident or major illness and fully pays for preventive screenings. This year, Maine people can continue to take advantage of additional federal financial assistance that makes insurance more affordable.

Michigan

via the Michigan Dept. of Insurance & Financial Services:

Open Enrollment for 2024 health insurance runs from November 1, 2023 through January 15, 2024

(LANSING, MICH) Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) Director Anita Fox are kicking off the annual Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment period by reminding Michiganders that they may qualify for low- and no-cost coverage and free local assistance is available to help them get the insurance coverage they need. Open enrollment begins today and runs through January 15, 2024.  For 2023, qualified enrollees, on average, saved more than $400 a month.

via Covered California:

Los Angeles, Calif. — Covered California kicked off its 2024 open-enrollment period at the iconic Los Angeles State Historic Park and Roundhouse Bridge, a public space that serves some of the most vulnerable communities in the state, with roots that connect back to the early history of the city and region…

Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman was joined by California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly and Assemblymember Miguel Santiago of California’s 54th district to launch open enrollment. They highlighted how record financial help — through enhanced federal premium support and a new program in California that will reduce out-of-pocket costs for over 650,000 consumers — is bridging the gap between uninsured Californians and access to affordable coverage and quality care.

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