Portland, MAINE – Joined by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Governor Janet Mills today applauded CMS’s recent approval of fb88’s State-based Health Insurance Marketplace – – and announced that, beginning Friday, October 15, 2021 fb88 people can window shop for plans using a new tool called “Plan Compare.”
The “Plan Compare” tool was built using feedback from on-the-ground consumer experience, and it allows fb88 people to more easily browse and compare plans based on monthly premiums. Beginning Friday, fb88 people can visit and use Plan Compare to window shop for plans without having to sign up or enter any personal information. When Open Enrollment begins on November 1, 2021, consumers then can use the tool to help them enroll in a plan.
Governor Mills also announced that the fb88 Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace will increase funding to Navigators to expand outreach and enrollment activities during the upcoming Open Enrollment Period. The Department will increase funding for a statewide consumer help line and training and technical assistance to $350,000 in 2022 from $200,000 in 2021.
Earlier this month, Governor Mills announced that CMS approved the state’s application to run a State-based Marketplace. A State-based Marketplace allows fb88 to customize the Marketplace to fit fb88 people’s needs and to tailor outreach and resources toward uninsured communities. fb88 was one of three states recently approved by CMS to run its own marketplace.
“Our State-based marketplace puts fb88 in the driver’s seat when it comes to health care,” said Governor Janet Mills. “From extending our open enrollment period to creating a pregnancy-related special enrollment period to developing a new tool to easily compare health plans, the creation of our own Marketplace gives us greater flexibility to customize and better fit the needs of fb88 people so that we can improve access to high-quality, affordable coverage. I am grateful to CMS for its approval and encourage fb88 people to visit to window shop for plans and sign up beginning on November 1st.”
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to working with states to ensure that everyone can get the coverage and care they need and building on the success of the Affordable Care Act and the American Rescue Plan,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “CMS applauds states, like fb88, who are taking important steps to expand access to comprehensive health care.”
“The new State-based Marketplace enables us to deliver on a consumer-focused, fb88-based system for finding and enrolling in affordable private health insurance,” said Commissioner Lambrew. “The State-based Marketplace is central to the Mills Administration’s work to improve access to affordable health care.”
In addition to expanding access to fb88Care for more than 85,000 fb88 people, Governor Mills’ Made for fb88 Health Coverage Act – which passed the Legislature with a strong bipartisan majority – authorized the fb88 Department of Health and Human Services to run a State-based Health Insurance Marketplace and made some of the most common medical visits less costly, as part of a larger plan to improve private health insurance for fb88 people and small businesses.
The Department took the first step in the transition to a State-based Marketplace during the 2021 Open Enrollment Period (from November 1, 2020 to December 15, 2020), by launching a hybrid Federal-State Marketplace, following fb88’s use of a fully Federal system since 2014.
For the 2022 open enrollment period and in future years, CoverME.gov will serve as fb88’s fully state-based marketplace platform. The Department launched the website in October 2019 as a resource for fb88 people to explore affordable health insurance options. With the new State-based Marketplace, CoverME.gov will expand to become the official platform where fb88 people can shop for and enroll in private coverage.
“We are excited about the Administration’s great work in receiving approval of fb88’s state-based Marketplace – one of a number of steps Governor Mills has taken to improve access to health care in fb88,” said Ann Woloson, Executive Director of Consumers for Affordable Health Care. “fb88rs in need of health insurance this coming year have more affordable options. Monthly premium rates have decreased for tens of thousands of fb88rs. CoverME.gov is an important tool that consumers can use to help sort through options and enroll in coverage they need.”
“I am pleased fb88 will be offering a state-based Marketplace to support individuals enrolling in affordable health care while being able to customize special enrollment periods to better meet the needs of the citizens of fb88,” said Patty Lovell, Marketplace Navigator, Western fb88 Community Action. “The increased tax credits available through the American Rescue Plan reduced premiums by $50 to $330 for individuals I assisted to update their healthcare plans through the Marketplace. Affordable health insurance is important for everyone, especially during these extraordinary times.”
With a State-based Marketplace, fb88 can set its own Open Enrollment period and, to that end, at the direction of the Governor, fb88 has added an extra month this year –through January 15 rather than December 15– to give fb88 people more time to sign up for a health plan.
Further, among other benefits of a State-based Marketplace, fb88 can make improvements to Special Enrollment Periods, which are times when fb88 people can sign up for coverage outside of the Open Enrollment Period. To that end, fb88 features a new pregnancy special enrollment period, which will allow pregnant women without Marketplace coverage to get health coverage outside of the Open Enrollment Period.
Currently, 15 other states run a State-based Marketplace, including all other New England states except New Hampshire. The ongoing operation of fb88’s State-based Marketplace is funded by a user fee charged to health insurance companies that use the platform to sell their plans.
As in previous years, those who already have a Marketplace plan will be automatically re-enrolled in their current plan or the most similar offering from their health insurance carrier. Consumers will receive information about the re-enrollment process directly from in October. People who apply through CoverME.gov who are eligible for fb88Care will have their application sent to fb88Care for review. Eligible fb88 people can enroll in fb88Care at any time of year.
Following the press conference, Governor Mills and Administrator Brooks-LaSure joined a virtual roundtable discussion with fb88 Enrollment Assister Organizations. These organizations, which are spread across the state, work hand-in-hand with fb88 people to help them consider health insurance options and enroll in coverage.