Charles Gaba's blog

Washington HealthPlan Finder

via the Washington Health Benefit Exchange:

A record-breaking number of Washingtonians have already signed up during open enrollment, which runs through Jan. 15

More than 271,000 Washingtonians either signed up for, or renewed, their health insurance through Washington Healthplanfinder since Nov. 1. With five weeks remaining in open enrollment, these numbers have already exceeded the total for 2024. These numbers do not include Washington Apple Health clients.

Note: Apple Health is what Medicaid is called in Washington State.

Open enrollment is currently underway for 2025, individuals who sign up by Sunday, Dec. 15 will start on Jan. 1. Those who sign up between Dec. 16 and Jan. 15, will begin on Feb. 1. Through wahealthplanfinder.org, Washingtonians can shop, compare and select plans. Premium savings may be available to help make monthly costs more affordable.

via the State of Pennsylvania:

Greensburg, PA – Lt. Gov. Austin Davis visited Adagio Health in Greensburg today to remind uninsured Pennsylvanians that December 15 is the deadline to sign up for coverage that is effective on January 1, 2025, and encouraged them to explore their options at Pennie, the Commonwealth’s health insurance marketplace.

“The Shapiro-Davis Administration wants every Pennsylvanian to have the freedom to chart their own course – and the ability to get quality, affordable health coverage is part of that freedom,” said Davis. “If you need health insurance for yourself or your family, you should check out pennie.com to shop for the best and most affordable plan for your needs, and you should do it before the December 15 deadline to ensure coverage that starts on New Year’s Day. In western Pennsylvania, there have been some changes to plans and costs, so it’s best to shop around and see what’s available.”

via Connect for Health Colorado:

Denver, Colo. – Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, is reminding Coloradans that Dec. 15 is the deadline to enroll in health coverage that starts Jan. 1, 2025.

With the Dec. 15 deadline fast approaching, customers are encouraged to begin the application process today to explore available health insurance plan options and financial assistance, and to avoid a lapse in coverage.

“Connect for Health Colorado is here to help Coloradans enroll in high-quality, affordable health insurance for 2025, so don’t wait – get started today,” said Kevin Patterson, Chief Executive Officer of Connect for Health Colorado.

With enhanced federal tax credits still in effect for 2025, Coloradans can expect a high level of financial support, with 81% of customers qualifying for help. Three out of five Coloradans are expected to find a plan for $10 or less a month. Additionally, people who are re-enrolling may find more affordable health insurance if they shop and change plans.

via Covered California (email; no link yet):

Covered California Continues “Let’s Talk Health” Campaign With Record Financial Support Available As Its 12th Open Enrollment Continues

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Covered California continued its “Let’s Talk Health” campaign at the Beale Memorial Library today with the 2025 open-enrollment period underway.

Regardless of the results of the 2024 election, open enrollment is ongoing and coverage through Affordable Care Act marketplaces throughout the nation, including Covered California, is unaffected for 2025.

“Our doors are open, and now is the time for Californians to sign up for health insurance,” Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman said. “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act remains the law of the land, and the election results do not affect the financial assistance available to enrollees through federal and enhanced state subsidies next year. The most financial assistance ever offered to Californians to help pay for health care coverage remains available for 2025.”

via MNsure:

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesotans who need health insurance have just one week left to enroll in a full year of coverage through MNsure, Minnesota’s official health insurance marketplace.

Wednesday, December 18, is the deadline to enroll for coverage starting January 1. For Minnesotans who sign up December 19 – January 15, 2025, coverage will start on February 1 instead.

“Shopping for a health insurance plan at MNsure.org is the best way to ensure you get all the savings you’re eligible for and high-quality, comprehensive coverage for 2025,”said MNsure CEO Libby Caulum. “We’re here to serve Minnesotans. Plans sold elsewhere may not cover the same health benefits or include the important consumer protections that are guaranteed with all plans sold through the MNsure marketplace.”

Reagan Bush

 

Originally published 3/30/18; updated 12/10/24 with figures adjusted for enrollment growth & inflation through 2024.

Whenever the discussion of what the next Big Move for healthcare policy should be comes up in Democratic/progressive circles, the incredibly difficult path which had to be paved to get the Affordable Care Act passed in 2009-2010 is often brought up as an example of how difficult it is to make even minor changes, much less major ones.

That gets a bit repetitive after awhile, however, so here's another excellent case study from 20 years earlier: The Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988.

Thanks to Amy Lotven for this trip down memory lane via the New York Times, by Martin Tolchin:

Retreat in Congress; The Catastrophic-Care Debacle - A special report.; How the New Medicare Law Fell on Hard Times in a Hurry

via Access Health CT:

Customers who enroll on or before Dec. 15, 2024 will have coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2025

HARTFORD, Conn. (Dec. 9, 2024) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced the deadline to enroll in health and dental coverage starting Jan. 1, 2025 is Dec. 15, 2024. Customers who enroll Dec. 16, 2024 through Jan. 15, 2025 will have coverage starting Feb. 1, 2025.

The Open Enrollment Period for Connecticut residents to shop, compare and enroll in health insurance or renew their coverage began Nov. 1, 2024 and runs through Jan. 15, 2025. Customers may enroll in only health or dental coverage, or both.

AHCT is the only place state residents can get financial help to pay for their health insurance. Nearly 90% of AHCT customers receive financial assistance to help pay for their health insurance. Some customers might qualify for the Covered CT Program. This program provides no-cost coverage for eligible residents.

BeWell NM, New Mexico's ACA exchange, has an Open Enrollment Dashboard updated weekly:

As of Dec. 8th, 2024:

  • Auto-Reenrollments: 45,432
  • Active Enrollments: 13,839
  • New Enrollments: 3,132
  • TOTAL: 62,403

What's more noteworthy is that when compared against the same point last year, New Mexico's 2025 ACA enrollment total is dramatically higher.

New enrollment is actually down slightly year over year, but enrollment jumped so much last year that there's a much larger pool of current enrollees to renew their policies.

Over at the JAMA Network, KFF Executive VP for health policy Larry Levitt has a piece which lays out the most likely actions (or in one case, lack of action) that the incoming Trump Administration & Republican-controlled Congress will take now that they have a second shot at repealing the Affordable Care Act:

With many tax cuts from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expiring at the end of 2025, a high-profile Congressional debate over extending those tax reductions and enacting new ones is likely. There will be pressure from some in Congress for spending cuts to help pay for those tax cuts. Trump has said that Social Security and Medicare cuts are off the table, and defense reductions are unlikely as well. That means almost half of federal spending would be protected from cuts, leaving Medicaid, which is the next largest source of federal spending, and the ACA as prime targets for spending cuts. The math is inescapable.

Not that this should surprise anyone, but it's good to have the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) formally chime in:

Re: The Effects of Not Extending the Expanded Premium Tax Credits for the Number of Uninsured People and the Growth in Premiums

Dear Chairman Wyden, Ranking Member Neal, Senator Shaheen, and Congresswoman Underwood:

You have asked the Congressional Budget Office to discuss the effects on health insurance coverage and premiums that will result from not extending—either for one year or permanently—the expanded premium tax credit structure provided in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA, Public Law 117-2).

ARPA reduced the maximum amount eligible enrollees must contribute toward premiums for health insurance purchased through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act, and it extended eligibility to people whose income is above 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). Those provisions were extended through calendar year 2025 in the 2022 reconciliation act (P.L. 117-169).

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