ARP

Breaking via the Washington Healthplanfinder:

Washington Healthplanfinder is extending special enrollment period for Washingtonians seeking health coverage through August 15, 2021

  • More Savings Coming to Washington Healthplanfinder Customers

Due to recent federal action bringing new savings opportunities to current and new individual health insurance market customers, Washington Healthplanfinder is extending the current special enrollment period from May 15 through August 15. This aligns with the recent federal announcement extending the special enrollment period for those using the federal marketplace. This special enrollment period allows currently uninsured individuals, and people both on and off the Exchange, the opportunity to benefit from these new savings.

This morning, Vox reporter Dylan Scott posted a story touting exclusive access to a new ASPE analysis which estimates nearly 7 million uninsured Americans who now qualify for a FREE ($0 premium) ACA health insurance policy, in large part thanks to the American Rescue Plan's expanded subsidies:

Roughly 29 million people currently living in the US lack health insurance. According to the new HHS estimates, about 6.8 million of them could now purchase an ACA plan with no monthly premium, and another 1.3 million could sign up for a health plan that costs less than $50 a month. Many of those people already qualified for free or low-cost coverage prior to the ARP, but based on the federal projections, the new law’s expansion of the ACA made an additional 2 million Americans eligible for free or cheap coverage.

Here's the formal kick-off announcement from HHS Sec. Becerra:

  • An average of three out of five eligible uninsured Americans can access $0 plans after advance payments of tax credits and an average of four out of five current HealthCare.gov consumers will be able to find a plan for $10 or less per month after advance payments of tax credits
  • Department also announces $50 Million Boost to Special Enrollment Period Outreach Campaign

Today, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra announced that additional savings and lower health care costs are available for consumers on HealthCare.gov. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) has increased tax credits available to consumers, helping to reduce premiums and giving consumers access to affordable health care coverage.

The Department also announced an additional $50 million in advertising to bolster the Special Enrollment Period outreach campaign. The campaign will run through August 15, 2021.

New Hampshire

A couple of weeks ago I noted that all 11 California health insurance carriers participating on the state's ACA exchange, CoveredCA.com, have agreed not to reset deductibles for current off-exchange enrollees who shift to an on-exchange plan during the ongoing COVID Enrollment Period.

This is a HUGE deal, especially in California, where an estimated 430,000 residents are enrolled in off-exchange ACA policies which are virtually identical to their on-exchange equivalent, with the sole distinction of those enrolled in them not being eligible for ACA subsidies.

With subsidies being beefed up and the 400% FPL subsidy cliff having been killed (for the next 2 years, at least), this means that hundreds of thousands of Californians have just become eligible for thousands of dollars in savings...as long as they transition to the same plan on-exchange.

Your Health Idaho, which had been scheduled to end their COVID-19 Enrollment Period on March 31st, has understandably extended the deadline out by another month in light of the American Rescue Plan's expanded/enhanced subsidies. Via email:

Enhanced Subsidies Go into Effect at Your Health Idaho April 1

Your Health Idaho Continues to Enroll Idahoans through April 30, 2021

BOISE, Idaho –Your Health Idaho, the state insurance exchange, will remain open throughout the month of April so Idahoans can take advantage of enhanced financial assistance, which lowers consumer’s monthly premiums. 

For the first time ever, tax credits, which act like an instant discount, may be available for those who were not previously eligible and will be increased for Idahoans who already receive them. For some Idahoans, these savings can be significant. For example, a Treasure Valley married couple in their 20s making $50,000 a year could pay less than $10 a month and a family of four making $105,000 could pay as little as $200 a month.

Platinum Blonde

In the United States, major medical insurance policies for those who don't have healthcare coverage through their employer, Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, the Veteran's Administration or some other source are available via the ACA's individual market exchanges. The individual market for residents of 36 states is HealthCare.Gov; the remaining 14 states + DC each have their own ACA exchange, such as Covered California, NY State of Health and so forth.

There are usually dozens of ACA policies available via the ACA exchanges, but they fall into five major categories: Catastrophic, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum plans (other major distinctions include HMOs vs. PPOs and other variables,but those are for another day).

With rare exceptions, Catastrophic plans are only available to enrollees under 30 years old. ACA premium subsidies can't be used to help pay for Catastrophic plans either, so enrollment is rare; during the 2020 Open Enrollment Period, only 89,000 ACA exchange enrollees selected Catastrophic plans out of over 11.4 million total, or just 0.8%.

HealthSource RI becomes the latest state-based exchange to jump onboard the August 15th train...

Governor McKee and HealthSource RI Announce New Enrollment Period Extended Through August 15

  • Historic level of financial assistance is now available through HealthSource RI.
  • New Enrollment Period has been extended through August 15, 2021, adding three months to the previous May 15, 2021 deadline.
  • Starting April 1, most HSRI customers will have a lower monthly bill.
  • Beginning in summer 2021, HSRI will make more financial assistance available to people who previously did not qualify to receive it based on their income.
  • Individuals and families who have received unemployment payments in 2021 will be newly eligible for additional financial help for this year or may qualify for health coverage at no cost.
  • Rhode Islanders should enroll in coverage as soon as possible to take full advantage of these new benefits. 
  • The deadline to enroll is August 15, 2021.

A few weeks ago, Pennie (Pennsylvania's ACA exchange), like several other state-based exchanges, put out a simple statement celebrating the passage of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and the dramatic improvement in ACA affordability that it brings for the next two years. Like most of the other exchanges, Pennie's initial press release was pretty bare-bones, as the bill had just been signed into law and there were a ton of logistical details to be worked out.

Today, at their monthly board meeting, Pennie provided some further info on how they plan to proceed:

Pennie’s American Rescue Plan Policy Goals

  • Implement ARP provisions as soon as possible, and as broadly as possible, to maximize savings for Pennie customers
  • Automate these provisions, to the extent possible, to ensure that the benefits under the new law reach Pennie customers without requiring customer action
  • Ensure that customers who need to take an action are given specific instructions on what they need to do to maximize their benefits
  • Use this unique opportunity to connect more Pennsylvanians to comprehensive coverage and reduce the number of uninsured throughout the Commonwealth

The Kaiser Family Foundation has updated their ACA Exchange Subsidy Calculator tool, which lets you plug in your household information and calculate how much you're eligible for in subsidies, as well as telling you things like:

  • Your percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
  • The full-price benchmark Silver plan
  • Your net price for the benchmark Silver plan
  • The net price of theleast-expensive Bronze plan
  • The maximum you'd have to pay in out-of-pocket costs

It's been updated to reflect the newly-expanded & enhanced subsidies available under the American Rescue Plan for 2021 & 2022. The official ACA exchange websites will have this data available over the next few weeks depending on which state you live in (HealthCare.Gov is supposed to go live on April 1st; Covered California on April 12th; other states will vary):

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