APTC

The official 2024 ACA Open Enrollment Period (OEP) ended last night in most states, but millions of Americans are still eligible to #GetCovered!

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

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

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 2024:

The 2024 ACA Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is STILL ongoing in 49 states +DC.

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

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

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 2024:

Note: I decided that while the original headline accurately reflected my feelings about this WSJ Op-Ed, it was a bit over the top, so I've changed it to something less crude.

For years, the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act, generally shorthanded as the ACA or, more colloquially known as "Obamacare," was the top policy target of Republicans and other conservatives.

It seemed as though not a day went by without some right-wing opinion piece being published attacking the ACA for one thing or another. Once in awhile these attacks had some validity, but the vast majority were either completely baseless or grossly exaggerated.

And yet, after the dust settled on the infamous 2017 ACA "repeal/replace" debacle, it seemed as though the GOP had pretty much tired of their relentless assault on the healthcare law. They had failed to repeal it even with control of the White House, Senate, House of Representatives and Supreme Court, and ended up settling for zeroing out of the federal Individual Mandate Penalty as a consolation prize.

Over at Inside Health Policy, Amy Lotven confirms that House Democrats haven't forgotten about the pending expiration of the upgraded federal subsidies provided by the American Rescue Plan and extended via the Inflation Reduction Act last summer:

While the Census found the percentage of Americans without insurance fell, even as a supplemental poverty measure increased following the end of pandemic-era assistance, ranking House Ways & Means Committee Democrat Richard Neal (MA) is highlighting the need to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act credits that are set to expire at the end of 2025.

via the Maryland Insurance Administration:

Aetna CVS Health will join Maryland Health Exchange individual market in 2024

BALTIMORE – Aetna, a CVS Health company, has filed to offer its Aetna CVS Health individual health plans through Maryland Health Connection in 2024, giving consumers across Maryland another option for health coverage through the state-maintained marketplace.

“This is great news for the individuals and families who choose their health insurance coverage through the Maryland Health Connection marketplace,” said Governor Wes Moore. “It is vitally important for consumers to have choices to select the best plan for their needs. Maryland continues to be a national leader in maintaining a robust, affordable marketplace.”

Currently, three insurers – CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Kaiser Permanente and UnitedHealthcare – offer individual market health plans through Maryland Health Connection.

via the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange:

MARYLAND WINS FEDERAL APPROVAL FOR “REINSURANCE” FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS

  • Program has helped drive down rates for Marylanders who buy their own health coverage to among the most affordable in the nation

BALTIMORE (July 5, 2023) – The Reinsurance Program that helped drive down costs for consumers who purchase their own health insurance in Maryland to among the lowest rates in the nation has been renewed for the next five years.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of the Treasury informed Maryland health and insurance officials that they have approved the state’s application for the period from Dec. 31, 2023, when the current authorization expires, until Dec. 31, 2028.

A few weeks ago I raised an alarm about the federal budget introduced by former Trump Administration OMB Director Russell Vought's think tank, which is being embraced by many House Republicans as their blueprint for a formal budget proposal.

As I noted at the time, Vought's proposed budget would include, among many other horrific things, completely eliminating funding for the ACA's Medicaid expansion program as well as complete elimination of all Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC) funding for ACA exchange-based individual market enrollees.

I went on to note that if this proposal were to somehow pass the Senate and be signed into law by President Biden (neither of which is likely to happen, to put it mildly), nearly 40 million Americans would lose healthcare coverage as a result nationally.

Below, I've broken that number out by state to give better context about just how draconian such an eventuality would be.

The 2023 ACA Open Enrollment Period is still ongoing in 6 states, and many people can still enroll in other states as well!

The 2023 OEP is the best ever for the ACA for several reasons:

  • Second, because several states are either expanding or retooling their own state-based subsidy programs to make ACA plans even more affordable for their enrollees;

There's also expanded carrier & plan offerings in many states/counties, and as always, 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 thirteen important things to know when you #GetCovered for 2023:

New York

via NY State of Health:

ALBANY, N.Y. (August 17, 2022) – “I applaud President Biden’s signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, which extends enhanced financial assistance for health insurance under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The increased access and affordability of health insurance made possible by ARPA’s enhanced financial assistance has allowed NY State of Health to reach momentous enrollment milestones, serving as a critical safety net for individuals and families who lost their jobs and/or income, and providing health insurance to nearly 6.6 million individuals, or one in three New Yorkers, by the end of May 2022.

Extension of the ARPA subsidies as part of the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act, allows the Marketplace to continue assuring access to low cost, comprehensive coverage, and supports our commitment to give all New Yorkers the opportunity to shop for the best health plan for themselves and their families. Thanks to the ARPA extension, New Yorkers can get help paying for the coverage they need now, to protect their health for the future.” 

Washington HealthPlan Finder

via the Washington Health Benefit Exchange:

Washington Health Benefit Exchange interim CEO Jim Crawford issued the following statement regarding today’s signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes a three-year extension of the enhanced federal premium subsidies currently available to Washingtonians who purchase their health coverage on Washington Healthplanfinder, the state’s online health insurance marketplace. These additional subsidies were first adopted under the American Rescue Plan Act (APRA) of 2021.

“We are incredibly pleased that Washington Healthplanfinder customers will continue to benefit from enhanced federal subsidies through the end of 2025. These subsidies have been a major driver in reducing premium payments for those purchasing health insurance and provide needed relief to those buying and renewing coverage in November for the 2023 plan year, who would have otherwise faced steep premium increases.

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