Citing Growing Number of People Separated From Employer Health Insurance, CT Extends Open Enrollment in Access Health CT

There is no clearer example of the dichotomy between actions being taken by the federal government and some states in response to the reverberations of the COVID-19 pandemic than in – of all things – access to health insurance.

At the federal level, President Trump this week decided against opening up a special enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act, which he has consistently tried to end.  Meanwhile, the State of Connecticut, which operates Access Health CT which is enabled by the ACA, announced it was extending a special enrollment period it had launched last month as the pandemic increasingly separated workers from their employer health care plans.

Access Health CT (AHCT) announced on Thursday that the deadline for the New Special Enrollment Period for uninsured Connecticut residents to enroll in health insurance plans through AHCT is extended to Friday, April 17, 2020.

The effective date of coverage for anyone who enrolls during this extension period will be May 1, 2020. Anyone who enrolls before the end of the day Thursday, April 2, 2020 will have a coverage effective date of April 1, 2020.

The only way to sign up for this New Special Enrollment Period is by calling 1-855-365-2428, officials said. Connecticut residents must be lawfully present in the United States, and not incarcerated to be eligible.

Individuals who experience a Qualifying Life Event (e.g. loss of coverage due to job change or unemployment) or qualify for Medicaid/Children’s Health Program (CHIP), can enroll online, in-person or over the phone, officials noted, indicating that all help is free.

“Over the last two weeks, nearly 1,400 residents have been able to enroll in affordable, high-quality health insurance plans thanks to a new special enrollment period offered by Access Health CT,” Governor Lamont said. “I applaud Access Health, the health insurance carriers, and the Connecticut Insurance Department for working together to extend that enrollment period so additional residents can sign up for health insurance. No Connecticut resident should have to worry that COVID-19 or another health complication will compromise their financial security.”

As individual circumstances may have changed due to the pandemic, Access Health CT reminded existing customers to update their income as they, or members of their household, may be able to:

·        Increase the financial help they qualify for or become eligible for increased cost sharing reductions to help pay for out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance amounts.

·        Change to a different insurance plan in a different metal tier, that may allow them to qualify for cost sharing reductions that help pay for out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance amounts.

·        Become eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)/HUSKY Health.