Please note that there will be no newsletter on November 29, 2024. Enjoy the holidays!
The NDNRC wants to make sure that people with disabilities are aware of potential changes to their healthcare with the new administration taking office starting January 20, 2025. The disability community utilizes Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s Marketplace plans at a higher rate than those without disabilities due to their unique needs.
By updating this newsletter with resources and educational pieces on where disability health policies stand, we hope to ensure that the disability community continues to have access to accessible and affordable healthcare coverage no matter what changes occur in the next four years.
Enrollees in the Marketplace during the current Open Enrollment period should find that enhanced tax credits will keep healthcare coverage affordable for 2025 plans, as reported by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). Premium tax credits will help in covering a larger portion of enrollees’ premiums more than they have in years past.
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) continues to cover Medicaid work requirements alongside waivers and legislative activity. The incoming administration would encourage these requirements which would greatly affect the disability community and how they access healthcare services through Medicaid.
Section 1115 waivers will help provide coverage in improving access to care for marginalized communities like American Indian or Alaska Natives, as reported by KFF. Tracking of the waiver can be found on KFF’s on-going tracker.
The Commonwealth Fund conducted a survey on the state of health insurance coverage in the US. This survey answered questions in relation to coverage gaps, underinsured rates, barriers in access to coverage, and medical debt.
The Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families released a report on how covering adults through Medicaid expansion would help children through higher child coverage rates, lower rates of infant mortality, and improved health outcomes. The Commonwealth Fund also covered how Medicaid guidance can help states make sure that children are enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Use CMS’ partner tools and toolkits to conduct outreach for OE. This includes social media posts, images, scripts, themed weeks, webinars, and more! Outreach materials are available in multiple languages. Get covered or make changes to existing plans today. Here are some important dates to keep in mind:
- December 15, 2024: the last day to enroll or change plans for coverage that starts on January 1, 2025
- January 15: the official end of OE and last day to enroll in coverage that starts on February 1, 2024
The Young Invincibles have sample posts and graphics available in both English and Spanish for Open Enrollment. Find the resources below:
- Open Enrollment toolkit
- ACA4DACA Partner toolkit
- Week by week social media messaging calendar
- Graphics
As a part of our partnership with the CBPP, we have updated Factsheets 1 through 16, excluding Factsheet 6 in anticipation for Open Enrollment (OE). Read an overall summary of relevant factsheets on our blog here. People with disabilities can expect to find a plan for less than $10 per month – visit HealthCare.Gov for more information.
Keep up with vaccinations this flu season and be prepared with free at-home COVID-19 tests that are accessible for people who are blind or have low vision and those with low manual dexterity. Through the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and the United States Postal Service (USPS), test will be able to detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of 2024.
The Department of Health and Human Services, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers on Disease Control and Prevention play a key role in influencing vaccine policies with changes in administration; KFF covered all federal authority on this topic. KFF covered a decrease in childhood vaccination rates caused by vaccine misinformation.
Archives of our weekly updates are available on the NDNRC website.