The Biden administration on Monday proposed policies aimed at making it easier to buy Obamacare plans, including a special enrollment period for people who lose Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage.
The proposed rule released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would allow those who lose their Medicaid or CHIP insurance 60 days before or 90 days after they lose coverage to pick an Affordable Care Act plan.
The proposal also would limit the number of plan options insurers can offer through the marketplaces. The average number of plans available to consumers on the marketplace has soared from less than 30 for plan year 2019 to well over 100 for 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services said. “Having too many plans to choose from can limit consumers' ability to make a meaningful selection when comparing plan offerings,” HHS said. “Streamlining the plan selection process would make it easier for consumers to evaluate plan choices available on the Marketplaces and to select a health plan that best fits their unique health needs.”
Why it matters: As we mentioned last week, an estimated 18 million people stand to lose Medicaid coverage if the coronavirus public health emergency is allowed to expire in April 2023, so it makes sense to make it easier for those eligible to sign up for other coverage.
