Many lapsed Medicaid recipients will enroll in ACA health insurance plans

Health insurance - Affordable Care Act Form

Experts and insurers have predicted that after losing old coverage, there will be an influx of policy shopping. Health insurance companies and advisors alike are preparing for a notable surge of consumers looking for assistance in navigating Affordable Care Act enrollment after having lost Medicaid coverage in 2023. As of April, this year, the extensions for coverage that were put into place during the pandemic ended. Beginning April 1, 2023, the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage extensions that were put into place throughout the worst of the…

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What to know about the 2024 health insurance open enrollment period

Health insurance - Open Enrollment 2024

There could be fewer choices available to consumers shopping in Healthcare.gov this year. The 2024 health insurance open enrollment period starts today for consumers across the country shopping for coverage on the federal- or state-run Affordable Care Act marketplaces. Though there are likely fewer choices available for next year, this was done on purpose. Consumers shopping for health insurance through HealthCare.gov might notice that there aren’t as many choices as they were used to seeing in previous years. This is not due to a mass exodus of insurers but is…

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Number of Americans with health insurance hit record high in Q1 2023, said CDC

Health insurance Coverage Q1 2023

That said, this figure was measured just before the changes to Medicaid rules were implemented. During the first quarter of this year, the number of Americans without health insurance dropped to a record low of 7.7 percent. Unfortunately, this record-breaking figure was achieved just ahead of the expiration of the rule implemented during the pandemic. In April, the Medicaid coverage of 15 million people was on shaky ground, possibly increasing uninsured rates. The data was measured in a survey released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) this month. It…

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Biden administration seeks to restrict ‘junk’ health insurance plans

Health insurance - White House - US Flag

A proposal is expected to be made tomorrow for a new regulation to crack down on short-term coverage. The Biden administration is expected to propose a new regulation tomorrow, with the intention of cutting back on short-term health insurance plans. This rule is long awaited and expected, to reign in the expansion of weak coverage from the Trump years. Democrats have been criticizing the expansion of thin health insurance coverage that was permitted during the Trump administration. They, along with patient advocacy groups, have criticized this type of skimpy coverage…

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Medicare Advantage health insurance plans don’t have many mental wellness services

Health insurance - Person seeing psychiatrist

A new study shows plan holders are struggling to find psychiatrists within their networks. New research findings are showing that people who are covered by private sector Medicare Advantage health insurance plans are struggling to find psychiatrists and other mental wellness services within their networks. As a result, people with private Medicare coverage might not be getting the care they require. Over half the counties studied by the researchers did not have a psychiatrist within a Medicare Advantage health insurance plan. That plan is the counterpart in the private sector…

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