The Obamacare sign outside a major insurance agency offering plans under the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) in Miami, Florida, January 28, 2021.
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Millions of people in the United States are at risk of losing Medicaid this year, when compensatory protections put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic expire in April.
To make it easier for these individuals to transition to other coverage, the Department of Health and Human Services has announced special coverage periods for Obamacare.
People who lost their Medicaid coverage between March 31 and July 31, 2024 can apply for Obamacare outside of the normal registration window. healthcare.gov If you live in a state served by a federal market, According to new guidance from HHS.
Most of the 33 states in total use healthcare.gov as their insurance marketplace. The 17 states that operate their own marketplaces may enforce special registration periods, but are not required to do so.
Individuals who have lost their Medicaid do not need to submit any additional documentation to purchase Obamacare. The application simply asks if you have lost your Medicaid coverage.
Consumers have 60 days to choose a health insurance plan after submitting an application. If you choose a new plan, coverage will begin on his 1st of the following month.
While consumers are typically required to submit life-changing paperwork to apply for health insurance outside of the open coverage period, HHS has simplified the process for those who have lost Medicaid.
Medicaid enrollments surged during the pandemic after Congress essentially banned states from excluding people from programs during the public health emergency.
Medicaid enrollment has increased 28% since February 2020, reaching nearly 84 million as of September. According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Congress passed a federal appropriations bill in December that separates Medicaid coverage from public health emergencies. States can begin withdrawing compensation for people in April if they no longer meet eligibility criteria or don’t respond to information requests.
HHS estimates that 15 million people will lose their Medicaid coverage once pandemic coverage protection ends. Her 8 million of them will have to move to other forms of compensation. According to HHS estimatesBut 6.8 million people would lose Medicaid despite being eligible for the program. According to HHS.
States should make good faith efforts to contact individuals being screened for eligibility through multiple communication methods.
