The transition from summer to fall usually brings thoughts of changing leaves, crisp air, hayrides, and apple picking. Picking health insurance, maybe not so much -- but alas, ‘tis the season for Open Enrollment! There’s certainly been no shortage of health care headlines this year, and with all the talk of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Open Enrollment hasn’t gotten the exposure it deserves. Even though President Trump announced that he will no longer fund the Cost-Sharing Reductions (CSRs), insurance companies are still required by the ACA to fund them in order to help lower-income consumers pay their deductibles and copayments. In addition, premium tax credits will still be available. It is more important than ever for consumers to review their plan choices and sign up for coverage during Open Enrollment.
Consumers will only have six weeks -- from November 1 to December 15, 2017 -- to enroll in a marketplace health insurance plan. This is less than half of the 3 months allotted for enrollment in previous years. This change, established by a Trump Administration rule passed in April, could ultimately have an adverse effect on insurance sign-ups. One main concern is that the mid-December deadline falls around the holidays, when consumers are typically busy and budgets are already stretched thin.
It’s also important to note that healthcare.gov, the platform for consumers to enroll in the Marketplace, will be shut down overnight on the first day of the enrollment cycle, November 1, and from midnight-noon every Sunday of Open Enrollment, except December 10 for maintenance. These outages may be especially problematic for those with inflexible work schedules or consumers with limited access to the internet. While in past years, Open Enrollment may have been a bit friendlier to those who tend to wait until the last minute, consumers would be better served by planning ahead to mitigate some of these potential issues. See this helpful checklist for the documents you’ll need to have in order to enroll or renew your coverage.
This Open Enrollment season will also see cuts to funding for promotion and enrollment help. The advertising budget has been slashed by 90 percent, from $100 million last year to a mere $10 million this time around. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which is responsible for the administration of the Affordable Care Act, promotion will be done primarily through radio, email, and digital mediums. Unfortunately, without the vigorous outreach of years past, consumers who might usually enroll in the eleventh hour may be unaware of the new abbreviated time frame. Moreover, insurance navigators, who help people shop for plans, will see a 40 percent cut to their funding as well. Navigators will likely be particularly busy this go-round, given the shortened time window and presumably aiding last year’s volume of enrollees in half the time. While there are plenty of walk-in enrollment centers, consumers should consider booking an appointment with a navigator ahead of time to ensure they receive the help they need when deciding on a health plan.
With these changes to Open Enrollment, it’s understandable that there may be some confusion around how to adapt to this new normal. Even without the changes, we know that shopping for health insurance can be tricky even for the savviest consumers. That’s why the National Consumers League teamed up with America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) to create MyHealthPlan.guide -- a website devoted to empowering consumers with the resources they need to make informed decisions about their care. There is a wealth of information devoted to choosing your plan, using your plan, and living a healthy lifestyle - and the great thing is that it’s all centrally located in one place. We firmly believe that the more people know about their coverage, the easier it is to navigate the health care system and ultimately achieve better health outcomes. So, don’t let the changes to Open Enrollment season intimidate you into sitting out. With appropriate planning and clear, straightforward information, you can take charge of your care and choose a plan that is best for you and your family. November 1 will be here before you know it, so don’t let the opportunity to enroll in a health plan pass you by. Happy Enrolling!