Get Covered

This just in from Covered California:

Covered California Releases New Enrollment Data and Issues Reports on Five Years of Improving Affordability, Access and Accountability

  • Covered California announced that there are more than 230,000 new plan selections during the current open enrollment period – up approximately 16 percent over this time last year. More than 1.15 million people have also renewed their coverage.
  • In addition, more than 540,000 people will receive new state subsidies that will make quality health care coverage more affordable in 2020.
  • The agency also released two extensive reports that detail Covered California’s impacts on lowering costs and assuring quality care in its implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
  • Since 2013, California has reduced its uninsured rate by more than any other state in the nation has by expanding Medi-Cal, investing in marketing and outreach and keeping costs low for consumers.
  • California’s individual market consistently ranks among the healthiest in the nation, helping unsubsidized consumers save about $1,550 annually in 2018 on their premiums compared to consumers in the federal marketplace.
  • Covered California’s open-enrollment period runs through Jan. 31. Consumers must sign up before the end of Dec. 20 for their coverage to start on Jan. 1. California is one of 10 state marketplaces that are still open for business, representing 28 percent of Americans.

I actually already reported this yesterday, but it's good to have the formal press release as well, which includes additional details:

Nevadans Who Started Their Enrollment Applications on or Before the Dec. 15 Deadline Have Until Dec. 20 to Complete Applications for Coverage that Begins on Jan. 1 2020

Carson City, Nev. – The Silver State Health Insurance Exchange (Exchange), Nevada’s state agency that helps individuals obtain budget-appropriate health coverage through the online marketplace, Nevada Health Link, has extended its Open Enrollment deadline to 11:59 p.m. PST Friday, Dec. 20 for consumers who started the application process on or before the Dec. 15 midnight Open Enrollment deadline.

"We recognize the enrollment process for health insurance can be time-consuming. That’s why we are giving consumers five extra days to complete their application to purchase plans for coverage that begins Jan. 1, 2020," said Heather Korbulic, executive director, Silver State Health Insurance Exchange.

In response to tremendous pressure after yesterday's major technical issues at HealthCare.Gov, CMS Administrator Seema Verma just announced that the deadline for people to #GetCovered in the 38 states which host their ACA enrollment platform with HealthCare.Gov will indeed be extended by 2 days:

We at @CMSGov want to ensure a seamless shopping experience for everyone seeking coverage, so starting at 3 pm ET today, we are extending the marketplace #OpenEnrollment deadline until 3 am ET December 18! https://t.co/HmVdpJlX2C

— Administrator Seema Verma (@SeemaCMS) December 16, 2019

(I originally misread this as being a 3-day extension, but it's only 2 days, since it runs through midnight Pacific Time on Tuesday.)

OK, this is about as obscure of an "announcement" as I can imagine: Per a heads up from Louise Norris, if you visit the Washington HealthPlan Finder website this morning, there's a simple message at the top reading:

 

There's still time to get covered. Sign up by Dec. 30 to get coverage that starts Feb 1st.

That's it. There's no link to a press release, there's nothing in their "news announcements" archive, and as of this writing there's no tweet from their Twitter account announcing it...just that simple text message.

I'll update if/when there's a formal announcement, but until then...it appears that Washington State residents do indeed have another 16 days to #GetCovered after all, even if they'll face a one-month gap in coverage.

UPDATE: Confirmed:

Still need to sign up in a health plan? You're in luck!

Enroll in a plan from now through Dec. 30 at 8pm to receive coverage starting Feb. 1, 2020. #GetCoveredWA

The 2020 Open Enrollment Period may have ended for most states, but it continues for residents of New York:

If you still missed the deadline, you won't be eligible to enroll for ACA-compliant major medical coverage for the rest of the year unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) due to a qualify life event lke getting married/divorced, moving, giving birth/adopting a child, turning 26, becoming ineligible for Medicaid or losing your employer-sponsored health insurance coverage.

Dammit, I took a couple of hours off to rewatch The Force Awakens with my kid (in anticipation of The Rise of Skywalker coming out this week), and look what happens...

HealthCare.Gov is not letting people login to enroll. This is the second outage, the first lasted 15 minutes. We're 8 minutes into the second. Last time this happened, 100k people could not enroll. @CMSGov must extend the deadline.

— Joshua Peck (@JoshuaFAPeck) December 15, 2019

When I loaded the site, I got the same error screen...but when I refreshed, the login screen came back up again.

This just in from Covered California, CA's ACA exchange:

Due to high call volume and enrollment demand, @CoveredCA will extend the deadline for Jan. 1 coverage through midnight next Friday, Dec. 20. That means consumers have an extra 5 days to sign up for #ACA #healthcare coverage for all of 2020. Check rates.

— Covered California News (@CoveredCAnews) December 13, 2019

ALERT: The deadline to enroll in health insurance starting January 1 has been extended to midnight on December 20. Don't wait and get covered!

Moments ago, Covered California, the nation's largest state-based ACA exchange, released data via a media teleconference regarding the 2020 Open Enrollment Period.

In addition to being the largest ACA exchange after HealthCare.Gov, this info from Covered California is especially significant for the 2020 OEP due to their newly expanded/enhanced premium subsidies.

To recap: Under the ACA, financial subsidies are available to exchange enrollees earning between 100-400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). That's between around $12,500 - $50,000/yr if you're a single adult, or between $25,000 - $100,000/yr for a family of four. Under the standard ACA formula, enrollees in that income range have their premiums capped at no more than around 2.0 - 9.8% of their income, on a sliding scale.

Unfortunately, this means that people earning more than 400% FPL are eligible for no financial assistance at all, a sudden drop-off known as the Subsidy Cliff.

This just in from the New York State of Health ACA exchange:

More Than 200,000 New Yorkers Enroll in a Qualified Health Plan During First Forty-One Days of the 2020 Open Enrollment Period

  • December 15 is the Deadline to Enroll for January 1 Coverage

(ALBANY, N.Y.) December 12, 2019 - NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace today announced that as of December 11, more than 200,000 consumers have enrolled in a 2020 Qualified Health Plan (QHP) through NY State of Health, the official health plan Marketplace, outpacing enrollment in a QHP at the same period last year by approximately 7,000 enrollees. Consumers must enroll or renew by December 15 for coverage beginning January 1, 2020.

In most states, the 2020 Open Enrollment Period deadline is midnight on Sunday, December 15th. In a few states, the deadline is as late as January 31st.

And then there's Idaho. Via Your Health Idaho, the state's ACA exchange:

Deadline to apply for 2020 health insurance is December 16
Your Health Idaho extends hours to support increased interest

BOISE, Idaho – Idahoans seeking 2020 health insurance coverage must complete their application through the state insurance exchange, Your Health Idaho, by Monday, Dec. 16. In anticipation of increased interest and high demand, Your Health Idaho is extending customer support hours through December.

Your Health Idaho will be open Monday through Friday, December 9-20, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. MT. Phone lines will also be open Saturday, Dec. 14, and Saturday, Dec. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. MT.

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