Biden administration to extend Affordable Care Act sign-up period to 30 days

According to a decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the annual open-enrollment period on the federal exchange, HealthCare.gov, will run from November 1 to January 15, 2022. Open enrollment traditionally ends in mid-December.

CMS said in a statement, “The rule extends the annual individual market open enrollment period and future benefit years for 2022 to allow consumers to review plan options, receive personalized assistance and find the best services that meet their needs.” To get more time to enroll in the scheme. .

The administration is also taking other steps to increase enrollment. CMS will allow Marketplace to offer monthly special enrollment for certain low-income individuals who are eligible for a subsidy that reduces premium costs. The agency will also boost funding support for Navigator—individuals and organizations that help people enroll in coverage—by increasing user fees at health insurers from 2.25% to 2.75% of premiums as per the rule.

The agency is also repealing a rule that requires insurers to send consumers a separate bill for portions of policyholder premiums related to abortion services.

The Republican Trump administration completed a rule in 2019 requiring insurers to send patients a separate bill for abortion services. Officials at the time said they were seeking to enforce existing laws that required separate billing for abortion services, but women’s reproductive rights groups said consumers would be confused by many of the bills.

President Biden has sought to build on the ACA as a key means of increasing health coverage in the US nomination in recent years, with nearly 11.4 million consumers signing up for coverage for 2020 under the Obama-era health law. has done. Mr Biden was the vice president.

CMS Administrator Chiquita said, “Today’s action is to extend the open enrollment period by one month, continue our investments in the local health care navigator, and establish a special enrollment period for many low-income earners to connect people to coverage.” demonstrates our commitment.” Brooks-Lasur said in a statement.

Under the $80 million in grants the agency provided earlier this year, four times more Navigators, or 1,500 in all, for consumers using HealthCare.gov during the fall’s open enrollment period, agency officials said. will be available in

CMS officials said the navigators that assist with sign-up will now provide information and assistance to consumers on certain post-enrollment topics, such as help with eligibility appeals. State-run exchanges will be able to set their annual open-enrollment-period end dates, as long as those dates fall on or after December 15, 2021.

Congressional Democrats and the Biden administration took a number of actions this year to make it easier and cheaper to get coverage under the law, including providing bigger subsidies, longer time to sign up for plans, and more outreach and marketing around the enrollment period. is included.

The sign-up window at HealthCare.gov extends from November 1 to January 15, which is almost a month longer than in previous years. The extended time came after a special sign-up period from mid-February to August 15, when more than 2.5 million people signed up for coverage.

In the biggest change to the ACA since its passage in 2010, Congress increased subsidies to people who buy health plans on the exchange of legislation in March. The law provided a two-year temporary extended subsidy as part of Democrats’ $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, reducing premium costs for millions of consumers. The law also provided subsidies to more people earning above the federal poverty level, without requiring them to pay a specific percentage of their income on healthcare.

Prices fell for many. According to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a 60-year-old with $55,000 annually pays 56% less for the most popular midprice health plan, or $390 less, compared to $887 a month.

Democrats are now considering whether to make the temporary increase in subsidies permanent as part of a $3.5 trillion budget package. Republicans oppose the 2010 health law, saying its requirements for minimum benefit standards have led to higher premiums. They also say that the law usurped too much state authority over health plans.

Open enrollment also coincides with a pandemic that has seen major upheaval in the job market where nearly half of Americans receive health coverage. An estimated six million people receiving health benefits sponsored by their employers experienced layoffs, according to an analysis by the Urban Institute.

Still, based on the analysis, the percentage of adults with health insurance in the first year of the pandemic remained unchanged at 11%.