Open Enrollment for 2023 ACA Marketplace health insurance started November 1 in NH

Manchester, NH — Today, navigators and health care providers joined Rep. Chris Pappas to kick off the ACA Open Enrollment 2023 period starting on November 1, 2022 and provide Granite Staters with the resources they need to enroll in quality, affordable coverage. The event was organized by Granite State Progress with support from Protect Our Care NH.

*Watch the event here*

Open Enrollment for 2023 runs November 1, 2022–January 15, 2023. This open enrollment period is a window that happens once a year - when Granite Staters can sign up for health insurance, adjust their current plan or change a plan. This event was presented by Granite State Progress, with support from Covering New Hampshire and Protect Our Care NH.

The Inflation Reduction Act will keep health care costs low for Granite Staters enrolling in ACA marketplace plans this year. It is historic legislation that reduces health care premiums for 13 million families purchasing coverage on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. These savings are a game-changer for Granite Staters— saving middle class families thousands on their yearly premiums.

 

New Hampshire offers free enrollment assistance through NH Navigator programs. To contact an insurance navigator go to https://acanavigator.com/nh/home  or call 1-877-211-NAVI

Or  https://www.hmcnh.com/  or call 1-603-309-2021

"Today is the first day of open enrollment, and we want to ensure that all Granite Staters are looking at their opportunities to get coverage for next year," said Congressman Pappas."The Affordable Care Act open enrollment period is an important time for Granite State families. It's when they can purchase coverage on the health care exchange. The ACA provides critical protections for more than half a million Granite State families and individuals to make sure that they're covered in terms of their pre-existing conditions. The ACA provides preventative care and protections for newborns and moms. Kids up to age 26 can remain on their parents' plans. And in many cases, you can receive tax credits to help you and your family afford to get covered and to stay healthy."

 

Anna Thomas, Manchester Public Health Director, said “This law has helped millions to access affordable health insurance. We know that all of our residents experience health in different ways, and historic measures like the Affordable Care Act are helping to level these inequalities. Our department ensures that our residents’ health needs are being met with measures such as the mobile public health van and the dental health van, technological initiatives such as telehealth, and partnerships with neighboring institutions. The formation of the public health American Rescue Plan Act in 2021 allowed an innovative place-based approach to offer care tailored to the specific needs of each neighborhood, which would have otherwise not have been connected to these resources.”

 

Adrian Jasion, First Choice Services Navigator said “I have the privilege of working directly with consumers helping find the right plan for them. Together, we assess their situation, and explain the existing options - as Medicaid coverage is an option for many residents. The opportunity to talk to a navigator is something people value, as they assist people with determining their eligibility, help with the enrollment process, so that people can access the right care, at the right price, in the right place. Subsidies from the ACA help reduce the cost of insurance and allow people to consider more options when choosing their insurance plans. This grant allows navigator services to be available in New Hampshire, whether people choose marketplace or Medicaid insurance options.”

 

Keith Ballingall of Health Market Connect said “New Hampshire receives funding to do this work with people, and navigators work in a number of different ways. Our team was constructed to be on the ground in different communities, and despite being a small state, New Hampshire communities are very diverse. Understanding the differences between the different regions of New Hampshire is vital. Navigators are available through phone, chat, text, and email, and in person meetings can be arranged if the necessity arises. About one-third of people work with a broker to find their health insurance, but two-thirds figure out their health insurance themselves. If they need someone to assist with anything, navigators are available to help.”

 

Zandra Rice Hawkins of Granite State Progress said “Today we launch the 10th year of ACA’s open enrollment period. It is phenomenal to think about the last decade and how many more Granite Staters have access to healthcare. Under new legislation recently passed by Congress, high-quality coverage through the ACA marketplaces is more affordable than ever. The American Rescue plan expanded premium subsidy eligibility to those making over 400% of the federal poverty line and capped premium costs at 8,5% of income. The Inflation Reduction Act extends these subsidies through 2025, keeping a lifeline available for New Hampshire families. The historic investment the Biden administration made in consumer outreach ensures that more Granite Staters will access the care they need. So, work with navigators, look through qualified insurance plans or check healthcare.gov for opportunities. And anyone that enrolls by December 15th can get full-year coverage that starts on January 1st. I encourage everyone to check which plans, doctors, prescriptions are covered and that you’re getting the best deal you can.”

Changes to ACA Health Insurance in 2023:

Caps on the Amount of Money Families Pay for Health Insurance. The Inflation Reduction Act ensures families pay no more than 8.5 percent of their income towards coverage. This helps middle and working-class families, as well as older Americans, who have traditionally faced excessive premiums or live in high-premium areas. Before the American Rescue Plan, middle-class families spent an average of 15 percent of their incomes on health insurance. The subsidies are designed to benefit those who need it most, which means the higher your income, the smaller your tax credits become. A family whose health insurance premiums alone — not including deductibles — are less than 8.5 percent of their income receives no tax credits at all. 

Addressing Health Care Equity By Expanding Coverage for Communities of Color. The Center on Budget Policy and Priorities estimates the increased savings continued under the Inflation Reduction Act will cause a sharp decline in the uninsured rate across every racial group, with one in three uninsured Black adults expected to gain coverage. Prior to the American Rescue Plan, more than 11 million uninsured adults were eligible for premium tax credits, with people of color making up roughly half of the group. The premium savings continued in the Inflation Reduction Act have made more than 65 percent of uninsured Black adults eligible for zero dollar premium plans and 75 percent eligible for plans less than $50 a month. For uninsured Hispanic and Latino adults, now more than 68 percent are eligible for zero dollar premium plans and nearly 80 percent can access plans for less than $50 a month. Health coverage is imperative to reducing racial disparities across the nation. 

Eliminating Premiums For Low-Wage Workers. The Inflation Reduction Act ensures no American with an income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level buying their coverage on the Marketplace pays a premium.

Cutting Costs For Rural America. Thanks to the provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, roughly 65 percent of rural Americans have access to zero dollar premium health coverage and more than 76 percent are able to find a plan for less than $50 a month, narrowing the coverage differences between rural and urban America.

No More Family Glitch. A new rule to fix the “family glitch,” where families were blocked from receiving premium subsidies if someone in their household had access to affordable health care through employment, even if the whole family wasn’t covered by that insurance, was recently implemented by the Biden Administration. The new rule will more realistically determine what is considered affordable for families, allowing an additional 1 million people to be eligible for affordable health care on the marketplace and receive premium subsidies. 

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Learn more about how the Inflation Reduction Act will lower health care costs for Granite Staters at https://coveringnewhampshire.org.