You'll have to forgive me my poor metaphor below, but it's the best I can think of at the moment. I've been awake for 29 hours straight now, as I woke up at 5am yesterday for a 15-hour shift as a poll worker in Pontiac, Michigan, and, like many of you I'm sure, I was unable to sleep at all last night. I just got off a devastating phone call with my son who's a freshman in college who doesn't understand why what just happened...happened.

There's going to be a mountain of digital & physical ink spilled and a cacophony of talking heads on the Sunday morning shows yapping about What Went Wrong, yadda yadda yadda. Most of it will be bullshit. Some of it will be accurate.

Since writing about healthcare is my thing, and writing about the ACA specifically is very much in my wheelhouse, I'm going to put my take on this into healthcare risk pool terms. Besides, assuming the GOP also keeps control of the House, the ACA is likely gone (and even if they don't, it's about to be radically gutted via regulatory actions anyway), so I might as well.

The 2025 ACA Open Enrollment Period (OEP) officially begins on November 1st.

This is the best OEP ever for the ACA for several reasons:

  • A dozen states are either launching, continuing or expanding their own state-based subsidy programs to make ACA plans even more affordable for their enrollees;

*Note: There's still some uncertainty about this, as 19 Republican Attorneys General have filed a lawsuit to block this, and oral arguments were heard just a week or so ago, so it's conceivable that an injunction will be placed before November 1st.

And remember, millions of people will be eligible for zero premium comprehensive major medical policies.

If you've never enrolled in an ACA healthcare policy before, or if you looked into it a few years back but weren't impressed, please give it another shot now. Thanks to these major improvements it's a whole different ballgame.

Here's some important things to know when you #GetCovered for 2025:

I've spent the past couple of weeks up to my ears in 2025 annual healthcare policy rate filing analysis, so I haven't gotten around to addressing JD Vance's recent appearance on NBC in which he finally explained exactly what Donald Trump's "concept of a plan" for healthcare is:

When Donald Trump stammered at the recent presidential debate that he had “concepts of a plan” for Americans’ health care, he came across like a child who had forgotten his homework. But thanks to his campaign and his running mate JD Vance, we know now the Republican ticket really does have some “concepts.” Those concepts are bringing health care into the election — and presenting a tremendous opportunity to Vice President Kamala Harris.

Last Sunday, Vance raised the eyebrows of anyone familiar with health care policy when he told NBC’s Kristen Welker about Trump’s “deregulatory agenda.”

Eight years ago I posted the following:

ACA Signing Off.

I made a commitment to keep this site up and running through next spring, and I intend on keeping this commitment. Beyond that, I have no idea what my plans for the site are.

After yesterday's atrocity, however...I'm honestly dreading the thought of what most of my charts, graphs, spreadsheets and blog entries are going to look like.

You see those impressive-looking odometer-style numbers at the top of the home page? Yeah, forget about those. They're meaningless now.

A lot of people will still sign up, but I'm guessing many who were planning on doing so once they were certain the ACA would still be around next year are now going to take a pass. And that's simply the beginning.

Beyond that...it's 4:30am. I'm exhausted, my stomach hurts and my hands are shaking.

God help us all.

I've spent the past week trying to decide how to approach the elephant in the room this time around.

via Access Health CT:

Enrollment Specialists available at events to help consumers in English and Spanish

HARTFORD, Conn. (Nov. 1, 2024) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced it will hold 10 enrollment fairs in November to help Connecticut residents shop, compare, and enroll in health or dental coverage. They can also renew their coverage. Enrollment fairs are one-day events for customers to get free, in-person help from experts. The fairs will take place in Bridgeport, Bristol, Fairfield, Hartford, Middletown, New Haven, Norwalk, Torrington, Waterbury and Willimantic.

Open Enrollment begins today. When you enroll affects when your coverage starts. If customers enroll on or before Dec. 15, 2024, coverage will start Jan. 1, 2025. If they enroll between Dec. 16, 2024, and Jan. 15, 2025, coverage will start Feb. 1, 2025.

via Connect for Health Colorado:

Our Work Continues Post-Election

I want to acknowledge the questions about the future of health policy since Tuesday’s election.

We’ve successfully navigated periods of uncertainty like this several times in the past, including eight years ago, and we didn’t do it alone. You, our customers, stakeholders, and partners, make it possible to move forward together.

There are several things that we know.

The Affordable Care Act is still the law of the land.

Senate Bill 11-200, the state law that created Connect for Health Colorado, is still the law of the state. There are several other important state laws that ensure quality, affordable, and comprehensive health coverage for Coloradans.

There are significant savings available to customers who enroll through the Marketplace for Plan Year 2025.

Sorry about the headline, but it's kind of difficult to focus on stuff which seems pretty mundane at the moment.

Still, it is part of my job to analyze the annual weighted average premium rate changes for ACA individual & small group policies to the best of my ability, so I'm doing that.

The final/approved rates for 2025 mostly come from the federal rate review database, although in some states they come directly from their insurance department website or the SERFF database.

Oddly, the federal rate review database still only has partial data for Oklahoma and Tennessee, and none at all for Wyoming, even though we're nearly a week open enrollment, so I can't plug those in yet. Huh.

via Georgia's brand-new state-based ACA exchange, Georgia Access:

Georgia Access, Georgia’s new State-based Exchange, announced today its readiness for the upcoming Open Enrollment period, including a robust roster of over 15,000 new and returning certified agents to date and multiple enrollment options for consumers to shop for and enroll in quality, affordable health coverage.

“Georgia Access is pleased that more than 15,000 licensed and certified agents will be available to help residents find the best coverage options to meet their unique needs and budgets,” said Georgia Access Executive Director Cheryl Gardner. “Agents offer consumers localized help and a personalized customer experience. They are integral in our mission to providing multiple pathways for consumers to enroll in health coverage and to reducing the number of uninsured residents in Georgia.”

Washington HealthPlan Finder

via the Washington Health Benefit Exchange:

Washington Health Benefit Exchange announces key dates and health insurance changes for 2025; enhanced federal premium tax credits and Cascade Care Savings expected to drive record high enrollment in 2025

Today, Washington Health Benefit Exchange (Exchange) announced open enrollment through wahealthplanfinder.org for individual health and dental plans for calendar year 2025. In preparation for the launch, Washington Healthplanfinder will be closed on Oct. 31.

  • Open enrollment: Nov. 1, 2024 – Jan. 15, 2025.
  • Reminder: Enroll by Dec. 15, 2024, to begin coverage Jan. 1, 2025.

During open enrollment, all Washingtonians who do not get their health insurance through an employer, spouse or government program can visit Washington Healthplanfinder to shop, compare and purchase health and dental plans for next year.

via Pennie:

Harrisburg, PA – TOMORROW – Pennie celebrates its fifth Open Enrollment Period starting tomorrow, November 1, 2024, for the 2025 coverage year. Uninsured Pennsylvanians are encouraged to join the over 435,000 customers who have found peace of mind and financial protection by enrolling in health coverage through Pennie.

Open Enrollment is the annual opportunity for Pennsylvanians who need health coverage to find high-quality health plans at the lowest costs at pennie.com. Pennie is Pennsylvania’s official health insurance marketplace, and the exclusive source for financial savings to lower monthly premium payments or out-of-pocket costs.

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