New Jersey: @GetCoveredNJ / @NJDOBI announce 285K QHPs thru 12/05; residents still have time to #GetCovered!

This just in via the New Jersey Dept. of Banking & Insurance:

NJDOBI Announces More Than 285K Signed Up for Health Insurance through Get Covered New Jersey, As Consumers Take Advantage of Record Levels of Financial Help

• Total signups up over 25 percent, with an additional 60k plan selections compared to this time last year

• Two weeks before critical deadline to enroll in coverage starting January 1st

TRENTON — Department of Banking and Insurance Commissioner Marlene Caride today announced that more than 285,000 New Jerseyans are signed up for a 2022 health insurance plan through Get Covered New Jersey so far during the three-month Open Enrollment Period that started November 1st, as consumers take advantage of record levels of financial help available through the American Rescue Plan and increased and expanded state subsidies. Total signups are up over 25 percent, with an additional 60,000 health plan selections compared to this time last year.

Open Enrollment for 2022 health insurance ends January 31st, 2022, but residents must enroll in a plan by December 31st, 2021 for coverage to take effect on January 1st, 2022.

“We are thrilled that residents are taking advantage of the significant financial help that is now available in New Jersey because of federal and state actions taken to lower the cost of quality, affordable health insurance. Hundreds of thousands of consumers are already signed up for a 2022 health plan,” said Commissioner Caride. “With a critical deadline approaching, and just two weeks left to enroll in health insurance that takes effect the first of the year, we urge New Jersey residents who need coverage to act now to find a plan that meets their needs and budget.”

As of December 5th, a total of 286,955 residents are signed up for 2022 health coverage with Get Covered New Jersey, including 40,942 new or existing consumers who actively selected a plan and 246,013 who were automatically renewed. Total plan selections are up 26 percent compared to this time last year, when 226,727 residents had signed up for coverage.

In fact, enrollment is actually up 26.6% to be more precise. Impressive!

Get Covered New Jersey is the only place residents can apply for financial help to lower their costs. Nine out of 10 residents enrolling will qualify for financial help to make the cost of quality health insurance more affordable. The majority of people receiving financial help will have access to a health plan at a cost of $10 a month or less, due to historic savings that remains available for 2022 from the federal American Rescue Plan Act and the State of New Jersey.

The American Rescue Plan Act significantly increased the amount of financial help available to consumers and removed the income cap to receive assistance. The law now ensures no one pays more than 8.5 percent of their income for health insurance (based on a benchmark plan).

The additional savings allowed New Jersey to increase the amount of state subsidies available to eligible consumers and to extend the state savings to residents at higher income levels for the first time, allowing those earning an annual salary of up to 600 percent of the federal poverty level ($77,280 for an individual and $159,000 for a family of four) to receive state assistance, up from last year’s state subsidy threshold of 400 percent of FPL.

The Open Enrollment Period for 2022 coverage at Get Covered New Jersey runs from November 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022. Consumers must enroll by December 31, 2021 for coverage starting January 1, 2022; if they enroll by January 31, 2022, coverage will begin February 1, 2022. Open Enrollment is the only time of year residents can enroll in a plan, unless they have a major life event, such as getting married, moving or having a baby, that qualifies them for a Special Enrollment Period.

Operated by the Department of Banking and Insurance, Get Covered New Jersey provides New Jerseyans with access to quality, affordable health insurance options for themselves and their families. All plans offered through GetCovered.NJ.gov cover preventive services, emergency services, prescription drugs, and prenatal and pediatric care, and more, and no one can be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition.

In New Jersey, there remains a requirement to have health coverage. Residents who do not qualify for an exemption from the Shared Responsibility Payment will pay a penalty at tax time.

Residents can learn more at GetCovered.NJ.gov or:

• Find free local assistance on the Get Covered New Jersey website;
• Browse plans now and see if they qualify for financial help with the Shop and Compare Tool

Here's the more detailed version of the mid-period enrollment report; some other key numbers:

New Jerseyans continue to receive historic levels of financial help and the average amount of financial help received during this Open Enrollment Period is at a record high of $557 per person each month in savings, or $6,684 a year, compared to $485 a month last year, during the 2020 Open Enrollment Period.

9 in 10 people enrolling in a health plan at Get Covered New Jersey qualify for financial help, and the majority of people receiving assistance can find a plan for $10 a month or less.

Additionally, for the first time during Open Enrollment, residents with an income up to 600% of the Federal Poverty Level ($77,280 for an individual and $159,000 for a family of four) qualify for New Jersey Health Plan Savings (NJ state subsidies) in addition to the federal Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC), up from last year’s state subsidy threshold of 400% of FPL. Nearly 20,000 people newly eligible for the expanded financial help have selected a plan and will receive nearly $250 per month in savings, or about $3,000 in savings for the year.

When compared with last year's Week 5 report, which also happened to run through exactly December 5th (convenient!)...

• Renewals (active + auto): 273,846 vs. 206,722 (up 32.5% y/y)
• New Enrollees: 13,109 vs. 20,005 (down 34.5% y/y)

It's important to keep in mind that New Jersey (along with Pennsylvania) transitioned off of the federal ACA marketplace last year, which may have made some impact on renewal/new enrollment numbers.