More than 8,000 Mainers have gotten health insurance through the state’s new marketplace

Greater than 8,000 Mainers have signed up for medical insurance protection for 2022 on the state’s new Well being Insurance coverage Market since open enrollment started on Nov. 1.

Via final Friday, 8,278 Mainers selected plans for well being protection by CoverME.gov. The determine consists of 862 new enrollees in addition to 7,416 returning prospects.

CoverME.gov allows a state resident to purchase Inexpensive Care Act insurance coverage for 2022 by a brand new state web site fairly than the federal authorities’s healthcare.gov web site, the place Maine folks have purchased so-called Obamacare insurance coverage since 2014. A complete of 15 states, together with all of New England besides New Hampshire, have been utilizing state-based marketplaces fairly than the federal model.

The well being care plans will stay the identical, however a state-run market may give Maine some benefits. The state can have extra management over {the marketplace} and may be capable of enhance and personalize public outreach efforts.

“We’re inspired that, in lower than two weeks, greater than 8,000 Maine folks shopped for and chosen reasonably priced, high quality well being plans by CoverME.gov for 2022,” Jeanne Lambrew, commissioner of the Division of Well being and Human Providers, mentioned in an announcement Thursday. “As open enrollment continues by Jan. 15, 2022, we urge anybody in want of medical insurance to go to CoverME.gov to take a look at choices and join a plan. Protection is extra essential and reasonably priced than ever.”

Gove. Janet Mills directed the DHHS’ Workplace of the Well being Insurance coverage Market to increase the open enrollment deadline this 12 months by one month, into January. Nevertheless, candidates who need protection to start Jan. 1 should enroll by Dec. 15.

The state has been selling {the marketplace} by social and digital media, advertisements on buses, bus shelters, diner placemats, TV and radio advertisements, and outreach to underserved populations, together with Maine’s immigrant communities. The state mentioned 26,724 folks have visited the CoverME.gov web site. As well as, the Shopper Help Middle has acquired 9,549 inquiries about this system.

Greater than 80 % of people that enroll will qualify for assist paying for medical insurance with funds from the federal American Rescue Plan, in line with the state market workplace.

The Biden administration beefed up subsidies for ACA enrollees by the American Rescue Plan invoice, and now 25 % of enrollees have a month-to-month premium of $10 or much less. Even these candidates who weren’t eligible up to now can doubtless get help to decrease their month-to-month premiums and different out-of-pocket prices, the state mentioned.

A complete of 71 well being care plans are being supplied.

Since 2020, Maine has been working a hybrid type of {the marketplace}, with the state overseeing advertising and marketing and outreach, and the federal authorities dealing with signups. About 55,000 folks in Maine have ACA market insurance coverage, down from about 70,000 in 2019, largely as a result of Maine expanded Medicaid that 12 months.

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