CMS will beef up its outreach strategy and scale up a pilot program that connected navigators to specific consumers who are not eligible for Medicaid but could enroll in an Affordable Care Act plan through healthcare.gov to help ensure people who lose benefits during the ‘unwinding’ maintain their coverage, according to a slide-deck from a recent webinar.
As part of the effort, healthcare.gov will send those consumers additional reminder letters about enrolling in ACA coverage, with the first batch slated to go out in mid-May, and the assisters will contact those customers shortly afterward.
HHS has estimated that about 2.7 million of the 15 million or so Medicaid beneficiaries expected to lose coverage during the redetermination may be eligible for subsidized coverage through the marketplaces.
via the New Jersey Dept. of Banking & Insurance (via email; no link yet):
NJDOBI Announces Nearly 300K Have Signed Up for Health Insurance through Get Covered New Jersey
NJ residents must enroll by Dec. 31 for coverage starting Jan. 1
9 in 10 People Who Enroll Qualify for Savings; Many Pay $10 a Month or Less for Health Coverage
TRENTON – New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance Commissioner Marlene Caride today announced that nearly 300,000 New Jersey residents signed up for a 2023 health insurance plan through the state’s official health insurance marketplace, Get Covered New Jersey, in the first five weeks of the Open Enrollment Period that started on November 1, 2022. Total signups have increased compared to the same timeframe last year, as residents continue to take advantage of record levels of financial help available from the State of New Jersey and the federal government.
Open Enrollment for 2023 health insurance ends January 31st, 2023, but residents must enroll in a plan by December 31st, 2022 for coverage to take effect on January 1st, 2023.
Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced Navigator partnerships with the Community Health Center Association of CT (CHCACT) at its Danbury, Norwich and Willimantic locations, Community Renewal Team (CRT) in Hartford, Greater Bridgeport Area Prevention Program (GBAPP) in Bridgeport and New Opportunities, Inc. in Waterbury. These partnerships increase the number of Navigator locations in the state and deepen AHCT’s reach into Connecticut communities where residents can get one-on-one health insurance enrollment help year-round.
“Our Navigator program is a critical part of our outreach, particularly to underserved communities,” said Chief Executive Officer of Access Health CT, James Michel. “It was important to us to expand this service, so all Connecticut residents can get the help they need to enroll in health insurance plans throughout the year. Qualifying life events that allow you to enroll in health insurance outside of the annual Open Enrollment period, like getting married or having a baby, can happen any time. We want residents to have somewhere to turn all year.”
ST. PAUL, Minn. — When Minnesota’s open enrollment period starts November 1, Minnesotans who need health insurance can find walk-in assistance from a broker at 18 locations, known as broker enrollment centers. Thanks to new partnerships between MNsure and competitively selected insurance agencies, this expert help is provided free of cost to Minnesotans.
Finding the right health insurance can feel complex and overwhelming, especially for first-time applicants. Taking advantage of free, personalized help from a health insurance expert can make the enrollment process easier and less time-consuming than trying to go it alone, whether applying for the first time, changing plans, or renewing coverage.
Insurance Brokers and Enrollment Assisters Available across Colorado
DENVER— One way the state’s health insurance Marketplace serves Colorado’s health coverage needs is by providing a diverse network of experts who can help residents enroll in the best plan for them – and who can help for free any time of the year.
These experts are Connect for Health Colorado-certified Insurance Brokers and Enrollment Assisters, and they live and work everywhere across the state.
“Our certified experts are a valuable source of support for Coloradans,” said Connect for Health Colorado’s Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Patterson. “But they don’t just provide enrollment services; they offer a continuum of assistance. I encourage anyone who needs health insurance help to use a Connect for Health Colorado Assistance Site. We’re here to help you navigate anything that changes your situation, so that you can stay covered.”
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Today, MNsure, Minnesota’s health insurance marketplace, announced over $4.2 million in grant awards to 22 organizations to support increased outreach and enrollment help in communities across the state. All 22 organizations employ MNsure-certified “navigators” — local experts who offer free application and enrollment assistance to Minnesotans who need health insurance.
Navigators provide crucial support for consumers by answering questions and guiding them through the application and enrollment process from start to finish, completely free of cost. Working with a navigator can reduce barriers to getting or maintaining health coverage such as a lack of comfort using technology, unreliable internet access, limited English proficiency, or unfamiliarity with health insurance terms.
Streamlining Eligibility & Enrollment Notice of Propose Rulemaking (NPRM)
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) new proposed rule would make it easier for millions of eligible people to enroll in and retain their Medicaid coverage. The rule would reduce red tape and simplify applications, verifications, enrollment, and renewals for health care coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The proposed rule responds to President Biden’s January 2021 and April 2022 Executive Orders to strengthen Medicaid and access to affordable, quality health coverage.
Open Enrollment Period at Get Covered New Jersey Begins November 1, 2022
Historic Levels of Financial Help Remain Available for the Upcoming Year, Following Federal Inflation Reduction Act Signing
TRENTON — The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance today announced it is accepting applications for community organizations to serve as Navigators to assist residents with health insurance enrollment for the upcoming Open Enrollment Period and during 2023. The department is making available a total of $5 million in grant funding for Navigators in an effort to ensure enrollment assistance is available in the community for residents seeking coverage through Get Covered New Jersey, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, during the Open Enrollment Period that starts November 1, 2022 and throughout the year.
Historic investment of nearly $100 million builds on the Administration’s quadrupling of Navigators last year to help connect people to coverage
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is investing $98.9 million in grant funding to 59 returning Navigator organizations for the 2023 Open Enrollment Period to help consumers navigate enrollment through the Marketplace, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and make health coverage more equitable and accessible to everyone.
The Trump administration is considering cutting funding for ObamaCare outreach groups that help people enroll in coverage, sources say.
An initial proposal by the administration would have cut the funding for the groups, known as "navigators," from $36 million last year to $10 million this year. Sources say that proposal now could be walked back, and it is possible funding could remain the same as last year, but it is unclear where the final number will end up.
...Officials announced it would cut funding from $63 million down to $36 million in August 2017, a move that was decried by Democrats.
