Yup, sure enough, the state-based exchange data is coming in fast & furious...thanks to Dan Goldberg for this (no official link/press release yet):
@charles_gaba NY numbers: QHP =247,411; EP = 776,481; CHP =413,576; Medicaid = 3,283,564 .... with 6 weeks before open enrollment ends NY is turning in strong numbers despite higher prices.
Press Release: NY State of Health Announces 2019 Enrollment is Up in First Month of Open Enrollment Period
Dec 5, 2018
More than 930,000 Consumers Enroll in a Qualified Health Plan or the Essential Plan
December 15 is the Deadline to Enroll for January 1, 2019 Coverage
ALBANY, N.Y. (December 5, 2018) - NY State of Health, the official health plan Marketplace, today announced in the first four weeks of the 2019 open enrollment period, enrollment is outpacing last year.More than 930,000 consumers have enrolled or renewed coverage in a Qualified Health Plan or the Essential Plan for 2019. Consumers must enroll or renew by December 15, for coverage beginning January 1, 2019.
Collaborations with Lyft, Uber, Independent Drivers Guild Reach Drivers Across NYS
ALBANY, NY (November 9, 2018) – NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace, today announced it is partnering again during the Open Enrollment Period with ridesharing companies Lyft and Uber, and with the Independent Drivers Guild. Through the partnership, tens of thousands of drivers throughout New York State will be urged to visit the Marketplace to shop for and enroll in quality, affordable health insurance. Open Enrollment for 2019 coverage began November 1. Consumers must enroll by December 15, 2018 for coverage beginning January 1, 2019.
Gov. Cuomo just announced that he has directed Supt. Vullo to reject any individual market rate increase that included an increase to compensate for the repeal of the individual mandate
...Assuming that nothing else changes during the rate review process, this makes carriers that didn't associate a % of their rate request with the loss of the mandate big winners...and those who did, not so much.
Gov. Cuomo just announced that he has directed Supt. Vullo to reject any individual market rate increase that included an increase to compensate for the repeal of the individual mandate
...Assuming that nothing else changes during the rate review process, this makes carriers that didn't associate a % of their rate request with the loss of the mandate big winners...and those who did, not so much.
Sure enough, after watching the half-hour speech by Cuomo, it sure as hell sounded like he was doing exactly that: Instructing the state insurance commissioner to only allow 2019 ACA individual market premiums to increase by around the 12.1% (on average) that they were expecting to go up with the ACA's individual mandate penalty in place instead of the roughly 24% (on average) that they said they'd have to raise them to cancel out the adverse selection impact of the mandate being repealed:
Michael Capaldo is an employee benefits consultant and self-described "ACA wonk" out of New York.
I don't know him beyond some in-depth wonky online discussions, but I don't see any reason for him to make the following up:
Gov. Cuomo just announced that he has directed Supt. Vullo to reject any individual market rate increase that included an increase to compensate for the repeal of the individual mandate
Assuming that nothing else changes during the rate review process, this makes carriers that didn't associate a % of their rate request with the loss of the mandate big winners...and those who did, not so much.
Hot on the heels of Washington State releasing their preliminary 2019 individual market rate hike request comes a similar press release out of the New York Department of Financial Services...and neither the carriers nor the state regulators are making any bones about the reason for next year's rate increases:
PROPOSED 2019 HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM RATES FOR INDIVIDUAL AND SMALL GROUP MARKETS
Health insurers in New York have submitted their requested rates for 2019, as set forth in the charts below. These are the rates proposed by health insurers, and have not been approved by DFS.
The Basic Health Program is one of the more obscure provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Very few people outside of the healthcare wonk community know anything about it...unless they live in Minnesota or New York State.
The short version is that it's an optional low-income healthcare program designed for people at the income tier just above Medicaid expansion...138% - 200% of the Federal Poverty Line, or between around $16,600 - $24,100/year for a single adult. In most states people in that income range would be expected to enroll in heavily-subsidized ACA exchange policies. In New York and Minnesota, however, they've instead set up Basic Health Programs (BHPs) for this population instead.
Consumer Choice Continues to be a Hallmark of the Marketplace
ALBANY, N.Y. (March 14, 2018) -- NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace, today released data showing 2018 health plan enrollment by insurer. Statewide, 12 health insurers offer Qualified Health Plans (QHP) to individuals and 15 health insurers offer coverage to Essential Plan (EP) enrollees through the Marketplace. Ten health insurers participate in all individual market programs offered through NY State of Health allowing consumers a smooth transition if their program eligibility changes. Throughout the 2018 Open Enrollment Period, most consumers had a choice of at least four health insurer options in every county of the State.
