NEW YEAR, NEW MEDICAID OUTREACH PROJECT
AAHD is excited to announce a new project in partnership with Community Catalyst and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This project is aimed at conducting Medicaid outreach to raise awareness about the potential enrollment in the program for individuals without health insurance. At AAHD, we recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious impact on this country. Of the many consequences we’re facing from the pandemic and resulting economic downturn, one that is important to pay attention to is the rising number of people who are uninsured. As people lose work or have their hours cut back, they often lose benefits like their health insurance too. Nationwide, over 10 million people have lost their health coverage.
Health insurance is an essential part of keeping ourselves and our families safe and healthy. It gives you the peace of mind knowing you’re covered if you get sick or injured, so you can get the care you need when you need it and avoid large medical bills. Fortunately, Medicaid provides low-cost or free options to help keep people covered during these turbulent times. This project will emphasize the fact that Medicaid is low-cost or free health insurance that covers doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, mental health care, and more. Through the use of social media, AAHD will be highlighting these messages using graphics like the one below which emphasize that Medicaid can provide relief.
If you want to learn more about the Medicaid Outreach Partnership or for a list of all the partner organizations on the project, check out our blog post.
In addition to what Medicaid means to potential enrollees, another advantage to the program is the fact that Medicaid enrollment is year-round. AAHD has another project where we are working with Community Catalyst and other partners in conducting outreach to educate individuals about health insurance enrollment through the ACA Marketplace and Medicaid. This outreach includes graphics like the one to the right which highlight the ability to enroll in Medicaid at any time of year. These graphics are available in the Community Catalyst Outreach Hub.
While Open Enrollment Year 8 (OE8) ended last month for most, there is still an opportunity for some people to enroll in health insurance for 2021. OE8 ended on December 15 for markets on the federally facilitated exchange (healthcare.gov). Some states which run their own state-based marketplace (SBM) have a deadline that allows for more time for people to complete their enrollment. Ten states with a SBM are still open and allowing people time to complete their enrollment, including both new SBMs (New Jersey & Pennsylvania). For a complete list of all the states where OE8 is still active, check out our blog post.
In addition to extended enrollment times for OE8 in the SBMs, AAHD’s home state of Maryland which also has a SBM, has extended open enrollment by allowing for a Coronavirus Special Enrollment. This will allow people without insurance to gain coverage through the SBM until March 15. For more information, check out the Maryland Health Connection webpage on Coronavirus Special Enrollment.
The Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms (CHIR) has a blog series for OE8 entitled the Navigator Guide FAQs of the Week. This week’s topic is “Who Qualifies for a Special Enrollment Period?” Additionally, after we left for the holiday break, they concluded their FAQs of the Week for 2020 with a blog post geared towards new people who have just enrolled entitled “What to Expect When Expecting Health Insurance.” If you are looking for a comprehensive tool to provide guidance as you conduct enrollment assistance, check out the CHIR Navigator Resource Guide.
Previously we noted that CMS had issued its proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (NBPP) for the 2022 plan year. The NBPP is the regulatory framework which CMS uses to operate the federally facilitated marketplace (healthcare.gov). AAHD does have concerns about some of the proposed changes which these rules envision and we joined a comment letter sent by the “I Am Essential” coalition. To learn more about the proposed NBPP, check out our news item. Comments on the proposed rules were due by December 30.
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