FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 20, 2019
CONTACT:
Sarah Leetham
801-673-1242
Today the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released
numbers
from the final week of this year's open enrollment, which show that more than
201,000 Utahns
selected a plan through healthcare.gov, an
increase of almost 6,500 Utahns
.
This puts sign-ups for the Utah 2020 open enrollment period
up 3.3% compared to
last year's numbers.
These new numbers come two days after the Texas v. United States decision, the most recent attempt to legally dismantle the Affordable Care Act. This court decision declares the individual mandate, a previously enforced financial penalty for individuals not enrolled in health insurance, to be unconstitutional. This year also marks the the second Open Enrollment period without any enforcement of the individual mandate. The removal of this policy has proven to have little impact in Utahns' decision to enroll in ACA coverage.
Despite continuous attacks against the ACA, Utah's Marketplace is expanding and stabilizing. This year, two health plans joined the Marketplace: Bridgespan and Cigna. There are now a total of five insurance options for Utahns to chose from, another indication of increased market stabilization. These new options give individuals a bigger network of doctors and hospitals to choose from, as well as more robust premium options.
Every year, Take Care Utah's health access assisters help Utahns enroll in ACA coverage for free. Throughout this process our team encounters powerful health care stories, and 2019's Open Enrollment period was no different. Our health access assisters share their stories
here
.
Sarah Leetham, Healthy Kids Program Director with Take Care Utah said, “Enrollment into the Marketplace can be a complicated process at times, and Take Care Utah is here to assist people the entire way. Health insurance gives families and individuals security in many ways, whether it is for unexpected emergencies, routine prescription drugs, or the vast preventative services that the ACA covers. Connecting families and individuals to the security of health coverage is why our team loves doing this work."
"We are excited to see this year's ACA enrollment numbers up from last year; that means Take Care Utah is doing its job well and Utahns continue to see the value of health insurance. These enrollment numbers represent how community actions can counter broader efforts to thwart the ACA. One thing remains clear after seven years of open enrollment: Utahns value affordable health care," said Courtney Bullard, Education and Collaborations Director with Utah Health Policy Policy Project.
Media Contacts:
Sarah Leetham
Healthy Kids Program Director
801-673-1242
Courtney Bullard
Education and Collaborations Director
385-499-7750
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