By Jamey Dunn
According to enrollment numbers released by the federal government today, more than 313,000 Illinoisans have obtained health care coverage under “Obamacare.”
As of the end of February, 113,733 got insurance coverage through either Illinois’ insurance marketplace or the federal website. That number is up by 25,131 from January’s total. In addition to those who have chosen insurance plans, about 200,000 people have received coverage under the Medicaid expansion, which is a key component of the Affordable Care Act.
“February was a busy and productive month, and we are working hard to build on it in the next three weeks. We want everyone who is not yet covered to know that the six-month enrollment window will be closing as of March 31,” Jennifer Koehler, executive director of Get Covered Illinois, said in a prepared statement. “To everyone who has been waiting on the sidelines, we are saying: ‘Don’t delay: Enroll today.’ Go to our website, GetCoveredIllinois.gov and find out what your options are. We are working closely with hundreds of community partners across Illinois to ensure that everyone who needs assistance can get it, and that no one misses out on the opportunity to enroll in a quality, affordable health plan this month.” Those seeking insurance coverage that begins on April 1 must unroll by this Saturday. Anyone who does not have coverage by the March 31 deadline would be subject to a penalty fee when they file their tax returns for 2014. However, there are exemptions for those who opt out of coverage for religious reasons or those who can show that they are not eligible for Medicaid and cannot afford coverage. The next open enrollment period is scheduled for November with coverage beginning in January 2015.
Of the Illinoisans that have purchased insurance, 77 percent are eligible for federal subsidies to help cover the cost. More than half of those getting coverage are women and 25 percent are between the ages of 18 and 34. This group, dubbed the young invincibles, are important to the program because their relatively low need for health care would offset the costs of insurer the older and those with pre-existing conditions. The rate of young enrollees in Illinois tracks with the federal numbers, but is lower than the number of them that are eligible for coverage. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on health policy, estimates that about 40 percent of those eligible to purchase insurance on the exchange nationwide fall into the young invincibles category. Health care officials on the state and federal level are courting young people to sign up before the March 31 open enrollment deadline. Illinois partnered with the satirical news website The Onion to advertise coverage. President Barack Obama made on online splash today by pitching Obamacare on Between Two Ferns—a talk show hosted by Zach Galifianakis that airs on a website called Funny or Die.
For more on the state's online insurance exchange, see the current Illinois Issues.
Showing posts with label Obamacare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obamacare. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
New Medicaid enrollments coming faster than expected
By Jamey Dunn
Illinoisans have signed up for Obamacare more quickly than the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services expected, Director Julie Hamos says.
Hamos told a House budgeting committee today that her agency had predicted about 509,000 people would enroll in Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. She said today that about 430,000 of them could be enrolled by the end of the calendar year. “We are actually seeing stronger numbers, larger numbers, earlier than we ever really expected.” Based on the applications that the department has on hand, Hamos said an estimated 315,000 Illinoisans who are newly eligible for Medicaid have applied so far. “We thought that we were going to be at 200,000 this year.”
Under Obamacare, the federal government will pay for 100 percent of the cost of patients who are eligible under the expansion of the law for the first three years. But HFS has predicted that some residents who are already eligible for Medicaid but have not applied will apply now because of the outreach efforts associated with the launch of the Affordable Care Act. The state would only get the standard 50-50 federal match for those enrollees. Illinois has received 82,000 applications from the federal online insurance marketplace and is sifting through them. Hamos said that until that job is done, there is no way to know how many of the applicants would fall under the lower funding match level.
Hamos also told the committee that the savings targets established under the 2012 Medicaid reforms (also known as the SMART Act) will not be reached. The original savings estimate was $1.6 billion, but Hamos said today it has been revised to $1.1 billion, which she called “still very significant for a program like this.” Hamos said several factors led to the savings being less than expected, including procurement timelines, pending litigation and delays in federal approval of same changes. The federal government also denied some of the proposals in the law. Hamos said the savings estimates tied to the state’s efforts to purge Medicaid of the ineligible enrollees was too high.
While Republicans have accused Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration of not being aggressive enough in implementing the Medicaid changes geared toward cutting costs, some said today they were glad to hear that the savings are still significant. “To be able to look at the savings from the SMART Act, [it] shows us that we did do something in government,” said Hinsdale Republican Rep. Patricia Bellock.
Illinoisans have signed up for Obamacare more quickly than the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services expected, Director Julie Hamos says.
Hamos told a House budgeting committee today that her agency had predicted about 509,000 people would enroll in Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. She said today that about 430,000 of them could be enrolled by the end of the calendar year. “We are actually seeing stronger numbers, larger numbers, earlier than we ever really expected.” Based on the applications that the department has on hand, Hamos said an estimated 315,000 Illinoisans who are newly eligible for Medicaid have applied so far. “We thought that we were going to be at 200,000 this year.”
Under Obamacare, the federal government will pay for 100 percent of the cost of patients who are eligible under the expansion of the law for the first three years. But HFS has predicted that some residents who are already eligible for Medicaid but have not applied will apply now because of the outreach efforts associated with the launch of the Affordable Care Act. The state would only get the standard 50-50 federal match for those enrollees. Illinois has received 82,000 applications from the federal online insurance marketplace and is sifting through them. Hamos said that until that job is done, there is no way to know how many of the applicants would fall under the lower funding match level.
Hamos also told the committee that the savings targets established under the 2012 Medicaid reforms (also known as the SMART Act) will not be reached. The original savings estimate was $1.6 billion, but Hamos said today it has been revised to $1.1 billion, which she called “still very significant for a program like this.” Hamos said several factors led to the savings being less than expected, including procurement timelines, pending litigation and delays in federal approval of same changes. The federal government also denied some of the proposals in the law. Hamos said the savings estimates tied to the state’s efforts to purge Medicaid of the ineligible enrollees was too high.
While Republicans have accused Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration of not being aggressive enough in implementing the Medicaid changes geared toward cutting costs, some said today they were glad to hear that the savings are still significant. “To be able to look at the savings from the SMART Act, [it] shows us that we did do something in government,” said Hinsdale Republican Rep. Patricia Bellock.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Obamacare deadline extended another day
By Jamey Dunn
While today is the official deadline to sign up for insurance coverage, which would kick in on January 1, under the Affordable Care Act, consumers have been given a little extra time.
President Barack Obama’s administration already delayed the cut off for purchasing insurance through online marketplaces, known as exchanges. The original deadline for coverage that starts with the new year was December 15. But after the federal exchange and many state exchanges experienced chronic technical problems, that deadline was bumped to December 23. However, the feds quietly pushed that deadline back as well. The federal exchange will now allow consumers to purchase policies, with coverage that begins on January 1, by midnight December 24.
The move was made without an official announcement, but the Washington Post broke the news earlier today. “Anticipating high demand and the fact that consumers may be enrolling from multiple time zones, we have taken steps to make sure that those who select a plan through tomorrow will get coverage for January 1,” Julie Bataille communications director for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said in a written statement after word got out.
Those turning to the Illinois exchange, Getcoveredillinois.gov, to purchase insurance coverage will also get another day to buy plans that kick in on January 1. Mike Claffey, a health care spokesman for Gov. Pat Quinn, said Illinois residents will get the same options offered on the federal site because the state’s jointly run exchange links to the federal exchange. But he said Illinois officials are advising those in need of coverage not to wait until the last minute. “We are urging people not to wait and to go ahead and try to get it done today if you can.” Claffey said that technically, the deadline has been extended for people who have already started the process and created an account on the site. So he said at the very least, those interested in getting coverage by January 1 should start the process today. “If you haven’t started yet, it’s getting pretty late in the game.”
This is just one of many recent tweaks to the law, known as Obamacare. The president faced loud criticism from Republicans and some in his own party after insurance companies began canceling plans that did not meet the basic requirements set out in the law. Obama said on several occasion before the law went into effect that if Americans liked the insurance they had, they could keep it. But Obamacare requires insurance plans to offer a set base level of coverage in 10 “essential health” categories, such as prescription coverage, ambulatory care and preventative care.
Instead of upgrading their more bare-bones offerings, many companies opted to cancel the plans, resulting in millions of consumers receiving letters informing them that their policies would not be renewed. Last month, the Obama administration announced that these companies could renew such policies for one more year in states that would allow it. Illinois officials decided to let providers continue to offer such plans. Those who were covered by insurance providers that opted not to extend their plans could be eligible for a “temporary hardship” exemption, which would allow them the buy the catastrophic plan available through the exchange. That plan offers a low level of coverage for a cheaper price, but was originally only available to consumers under 30. To qualify for the exemption, consumers must be able to prove that their previous coverage was terminated.
They may also be eligible for federal subsides to help them purchase a plan that does meet the coverage requirements under the new law. People who pick a plan by tomorrow at midnight will be scheduled to have their coverage start in January. However, those who miss the cut off can still get insurance through the exchange. Open enrollment will continue through March 31.
While today is the official deadline to sign up for insurance coverage, which would kick in on January 1, under the Affordable Care Act, consumers have been given a little extra time.
President Barack Obama’s administration already delayed the cut off for purchasing insurance through online marketplaces, known as exchanges. The original deadline for coverage that starts with the new year was December 15. But after the federal exchange and many state exchanges experienced chronic technical problems, that deadline was bumped to December 23. However, the feds quietly pushed that deadline back as well. The federal exchange will now allow consumers to purchase policies, with coverage that begins on January 1, by midnight December 24.
The move was made without an official announcement, but the Washington Post broke the news earlier today. “Anticipating high demand and the fact that consumers may be enrolling from multiple time zones, we have taken steps to make sure that those who select a plan through tomorrow will get coverage for January 1,” Julie Bataille communications director for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said in a written statement after word got out.
Those turning to the Illinois exchange, Getcoveredillinois.gov, to purchase insurance coverage will also get another day to buy plans that kick in on January 1. Mike Claffey, a health care spokesman for Gov. Pat Quinn, said Illinois residents will get the same options offered on the federal site because the state’s jointly run exchange links to the federal exchange. But he said Illinois officials are advising those in need of coverage not to wait until the last minute. “We are urging people not to wait and to go ahead and try to get it done today if you can.” Claffey said that technically, the deadline has been extended for people who have already started the process and created an account on the site. So he said at the very least, those interested in getting coverage by January 1 should start the process today. “If you haven’t started yet, it’s getting pretty late in the game.”
This is just one of many recent tweaks to the law, known as Obamacare. The president faced loud criticism from Republicans and some in his own party after insurance companies began canceling plans that did not meet the basic requirements set out in the law. Obama said on several occasion before the law went into effect that if Americans liked the insurance they had, they could keep it. But Obamacare requires insurance plans to offer a set base level of coverage in 10 “essential health” categories, such as prescription coverage, ambulatory care and preventative care.
Instead of upgrading their more bare-bones offerings, many companies opted to cancel the plans, resulting in millions of consumers receiving letters informing them that their policies would not be renewed. Last month, the Obama administration announced that these companies could renew such policies for one more year in states that would allow it. Illinois officials decided to let providers continue to offer such plans. Those who were covered by insurance providers that opted not to extend their plans could be eligible for a “temporary hardship” exemption, which would allow them the buy the catastrophic plan available through the exchange. That plan offers a low level of coverage for a cheaper price, but was originally only available to consumers under 30. To qualify for the exemption, consumers must be able to prove that their previous coverage was terminated.
They may also be eligible for federal subsides to help them purchase a plan that does meet the coverage requirements under the new law. People who pick a plan by tomorrow at midnight will be scheduled to have their coverage start in January. However, those who miss the cut off can still get insurance through the exchange. Open enrollment will continue through March 31.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Some Illinoisans may get to renew canceled insurance plans
By Jamey Dunn
After the rollout of Obamacare got off to a rocky start, some Illinoisans may be able to keep their insurance polices that do not meet the minimum requirements of the law.
The Illinois Department of Insurance announced today that it will allow insurance providers to renew for one year plans sold on the individual marketplace that do not meet the coverage levels required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The new law requires that insurance plans offer a set base level of coverage in 10 “essential health” categories, such as prescription coverage, ambulatory care and preventative care.
Obama’s previous statements that Americans who like their insurance coverage could keep it after the law went into effect has come under harsh criticism after insurance companies began canceling polices that did not offer the basic coverage required. The Illinois Department of Insurance estimates that 185,340 Illinois residents have been notified that their coverage has been canceled.
In the face of the backlash, the administration has decided to allow companies to renew those plans. State insurance officials in each state must also approve the renewal of such plans. “DOI came to this decision based on the concerns raised by Illinois consumers and the guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” Andrew Boron, director of the Illinois Department of Insurance, said in a prepared statement. “Allowing companies to renew current plans gives consumers more time to evaluate their options and will provide a smoother transition into the health care coverage system envisioned by the ACA.
While Illinois, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, Kansas, Oregon, South Carolina, Colorado, Hawaii and Texas have approved the president's proposal, officials in some states, such as New York, said they do not plan to.
Insurance providers will be able to renew plans, but it is up to the companies to decide whether they will offer renewals. They will also be required to notify customers that they are waiving protections afforded by the new law. The companies must also let customers know they can shop for alternative plans on the online health insurance exchange and may be eligible for federal subsidies to purchase insurance that does meet the coverage requirements.
The online exchange has been plagued with technical problems, and many consumers have been unable to create accounts, let alone find out what plans would cost or what subsidies they might be able to get. Officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services say they plan to have the website fully operational for most users by the end of this month.
Check out this Stateline story for a good Q&A on the policy change and a breakdown of how other states are handling it.
After the rollout of Obamacare got off to a rocky start, some Illinoisans may be able to keep their insurance polices that do not meet the minimum requirements of the law.
The Illinois Department of Insurance announced today that it will allow insurance providers to renew for one year plans sold on the individual marketplace that do not meet the coverage levels required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The new law requires that insurance plans offer a set base level of coverage in 10 “essential health” categories, such as prescription coverage, ambulatory care and preventative care.
President Barack Obama’s administration also announced today that it was extending one of the deadlines to purchase insurance through the online marketplace. Under the original plan, consumers who wanted their insurance to kick in by January 1 were required to make their purchase by December 15. The administration has moved that cutoff back to December 23. The change does not apply to other deadlines. The end of the enrollment period for 2014 is still set for March 2014, and those who are still uninsured at that point would potentially face penalty fees under the individual mandate.
Obama’s previous statements that Americans who like their insurance coverage could keep it after the law went into effect has come under harsh criticism after insurance companies began canceling polices that did not offer the basic coverage required. The Illinois Department of Insurance estimates that 185,340 Illinois residents have been notified that their coverage has been canceled.
While Illinois, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, Kansas, Oregon, South Carolina, Colorado, Hawaii and Texas have approved the president's proposal, officials in some states, such as New York, said they do not plan to.
Insurance providers will be able to renew plans, but it is up to the companies to decide whether they will offer renewals. They will also be required to notify customers that they are waiving protections afforded by the new law. The companies must also let customers know they can shop for alternative plans on the online health insurance exchange and may be eligible for federal subsidies to purchase insurance that does meet the coverage requirements.
The online exchange has been plagued with technical problems, and many consumers have been unable to create accounts, let alone find out what plans would cost or what subsidies they might be able to get. Officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services say they plan to have the website fully operational for most users by the end of this month.
Check out this Stateline story for a good Q&A on the policy change and a breakdown of how other states are handling it.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Fewer than 2,000 Illinoisans have picked an insurance plan through the online exchange
By Jamey Dunn
Since the online insurance exchange, a key piece of the federal health care reform law, was launched in October, fewer than 2,000 Illinoisans have chosen insurance plans through the Internet marketplace.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released enrollment numbers today for the insurance exchange, which is an important part of the federal health care law known as Obamacare. The statistics also included state-run exchanges. Nationwide, 106,185 people have selected plans. In Illinois, the number is 1,370. However, 30,901 have completed applications seeking information on coverage for 56,636 people. According to HHS, 11,603 Illinoisans have been deemed eligible for federal subsidies to buy insurance, and 19,447 have been deemed eligible for Medicaid.
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said during a conference call announcing the numbers today that the federal exchange has had 28.6 million unique hits since its launch on October 1. “In every part of our country, Americans are very interested in the affordable health coverage that’s being offered through the marketplace and through Medicaid.” But the website has been unable to meet that demand, and users have been greeted by slow load times and crashes. Sebelius has apologized for the problems and said HHS is “working 24/7” to fix the problems. She admits that things are still not working as well as hoped but said that the goal is to have the site fully operational by the end of this month for the “vast majority” of users. “We are clearly, here on the 13th of November, not where we want to be on the 30th of November.”
The department has sent emails to users who tried to create an account previously, asking them to come back and give it another shot. However, one reporter participating in the conference call said he was unable to create an account when he tried. I was also unable to create an account after trying for more than an hour. HHS staff said that our experiences were isolated incidents, which were not necessarily indicative of the majority of consumers’ experiences with the website. “It is getting better. It’s getting better everyday. So I would urge people to visit the site,” Sebelius said. Contrasting that positivism are the descriptions opponents use to characterize the rollout of the exchange. U.S. Rep. Aaron Shock, a Republican from Illinois, called it an “unmitigated disaster” yesterday. “This was a monumental mistake to go live and effectively explode on the launch pad,” U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, a Republican from California, said during a recent congressional hearing on the rollout. House Republicans have voted more than 40 times to repeal the law, and many refused to vote for a federal budget unless Obamacare was defunded or the mandate that individuals get insurance was delayed. That stance led to the more than two-week shutdown of the federal government in October.
Opponents say that if not enough people — especially the young and healthy, who will help to balance out the costs of older people and those with preexisting conditions — sign up, Obamacare could be doomed. “At the current pace, it would take Illinois more than 14 years to reach its 2014 target,” Naomi Lopez-Bauman, director of health policy for the Illinois Policy Institute, said in a prepared statement. “This low level, whether attributed to website obstacles or lack of demand, is a cause for alarm for two reasons. First, if these enrollment trends continue, the exchange will almost certainly face an insurance death spiral, where older and sicker patients are far more motivated to enroll, driving up prices further. Second, the number of people losing their health insurance coverage in the individual and small group markets as a result of Obamacare could leave the state with a higher uninsured rate.”
But Sebelius said today that there is no cause for alarm. She noted that HHS, state entities and community groups working to educate people about their options under Obamacare and encouraging them to get insured are “only a month into a sustained six-month enrollment and outreach effort.” Sebelius pointed to the enrollment pattern of the Massachusetts state exchange, upon which the federal concept is modeled. Under that state’s plan, many residents waited until later in the enrollment period to sign up. “I think what we saw in Massachusetts is that people visited the site multiple times before they made a decision.” She said that people want to take time to think over their choices, talk to their families and make sure that their doctors will be in the provider networks for their new plans. “We have every reason to expect more people will enroll.” Those who want their insurance to kick in by January 1 must sign up by December 15. The enrollment period ends on March 31. The uninsured face a potential fine after that point under the individual mandate. There are exemptions for religious objectors and those who cannot afford insurance.
Illinois’ exchange is run as partnership between the federal government and the state. Illinois officials echoed Sebelius’ take on the enrollment numbers. “We have consistently urged Illinois residents to take their time getting educated, rather than make an impulsive decision on something as important as health care for themselves and their families,” Jennifer Koehler, executive director of Get Covered Illinois (the state's exchange portal), said in a prepared statement. “When healthcare.gov is ready to handle more users, we expect to see more website traffic to Get Covered Illinois and significant growth in our enrollment numbers.”
Since the online insurance exchange, a key piece of the federal health care reform law, was launched in October, fewer than 2,000 Illinoisans have chosen insurance plans through the Internet marketplace.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released enrollment numbers today for the insurance exchange, which is an important part of the federal health care law known as Obamacare. The statistics also included state-run exchanges. Nationwide, 106,185 people have selected plans. In Illinois, the number is 1,370. However, 30,901 have completed applications seeking information on coverage for 56,636 people. According to HHS, 11,603 Illinoisans have been deemed eligible for federal subsidies to buy insurance, and 19,447 have been deemed eligible for Medicaid.
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said during a conference call announcing the numbers today that the federal exchange has had 28.6 million unique hits since its launch on October 1. “In every part of our country, Americans are very interested in the affordable health coverage that’s being offered through the marketplace and through Medicaid.” But the website has been unable to meet that demand, and users have been greeted by slow load times and crashes. Sebelius has apologized for the problems and said HHS is “working 24/7” to fix the problems. She admits that things are still not working as well as hoped but said that the goal is to have the site fully operational by the end of this month for the “vast majority” of users. “We are clearly, here on the 13th of November, not where we want to be on the 30th of November.”
The department has sent emails to users who tried to create an account previously, asking them to come back and give it another shot. However, one reporter participating in the conference call said he was unable to create an account when he tried. I was also unable to create an account after trying for more than an hour. HHS staff said that our experiences were isolated incidents, which were not necessarily indicative of the majority of consumers’ experiences with the website. “It is getting better. It’s getting better everyday. So I would urge people to visit the site,” Sebelius said. Contrasting that positivism are the descriptions opponents use to characterize the rollout of the exchange. U.S. Rep. Aaron Shock, a Republican from Illinois, called it an “unmitigated disaster” yesterday. “This was a monumental mistake to go live and effectively explode on the launch pad,” U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, a Republican from California, said during a recent congressional hearing on the rollout. House Republicans have voted more than 40 times to repeal the law, and many refused to vote for a federal budget unless Obamacare was defunded or the mandate that individuals get insurance was delayed. That stance led to the more than two-week shutdown of the federal government in October.
Opponents say that if not enough people — especially the young and healthy, who will help to balance out the costs of older people and those with preexisting conditions — sign up, Obamacare could be doomed. “At the current pace, it would take Illinois more than 14 years to reach its 2014 target,” Naomi Lopez-Bauman, director of health policy for the Illinois Policy Institute, said in a prepared statement. “This low level, whether attributed to website obstacles or lack of demand, is a cause for alarm for two reasons. First, if these enrollment trends continue, the exchange will almost certainly face an insurance death spiral, where older and sicker patients are far more motivated to enroll, driving up prices further. Second, the number of people losing their health insurance coverage in the individual and small group markets as a result of Obamacare could leave the state with a higher uninsured rate.”
But Sebelius said today that there is no cause for alarm. She noted that HHS, state entities and community groups working to educate people about their options under Obamacare and encouraging them to get insured are “only a month into a sustained six-month enrollment and outreach effort.” Sebelius pointed to the enrollment pattern of the Massachusetts state exchange, upon which the federal concept is modeled. Under that state’s plan, many residents waited until later in the enrollment period to sign up. “I think what we saw in Massachusetts is that people visited the site multiple times before they made a decision.” She said that people want to take time to think over their choices, talk to their families and make sure that their doctors will be in the provider networks for their new plans. “We have every reason to expect more people will enroll.” Those who want their insurance to kick in by January 1 must sign up by December 15. The enrollment period ends on March 31. The uninsured face a potential fine after that point under the individual mandate. There are exemptions for religious objectors and those who cannot afford insurance.
Illinois’ exchange is run as partnership between the federal government and the state. Illinois officials echoed Sebelius’ take on the enrollment numbers. “We have consistently urged Illinois residents to take their time getting educated, rather than make an impulsive decision on something as important as health care for themselves and their families,” Jennifer Koehler, executive director of Get Covered Illinois (the state's exchange portal), said in a prepared statement. “When healthcare.gov is ready to handle more users, we expect to see more website traffic to Get Covered Illinois and significant growth in our enrollment numbers.”
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