Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Enrollment Opens Again On ACA Marketplaces
AP: New Enrollment Window Opens For Health Insurance Shoppers
Health insurance shoppers stuck in a bad plan or unable to find coverage have a new option for help. A sign-up window opened Monday for government insurance markets and runs through May 15 in most states. It’s available for people who don’t have coverage through work, and it is expected to make finding a plan less of a hassle for those who lost a job. (Murphy, 2/15)
KHN: The ACA Marketplace Is Open Again For Insurance Sign-Ups. Here’s What You Need To Know.
For people who’ve been without health insurance during the pandemic, relief is in sight. In January, President Joe Biden signed an executive order to open up the federal health insurance marketplace for three months as of Monday so uninsured people can buy a plan and those who want to change their marketplace coverage can do so. (Andrews, 2/16)
CNN: Obamacare Open Enrollment 2021: Here's What To Know
Uninsured Americans who want to buy Affordable Care Act coverage have another three months to do so, thanks to an executive order President Joe Biden signed last month. The federal Obamacare exchange, healthcare.gov, reopened Monday for a special enrollment period that runs until May 15. Most states that operate their own marketplaces are also doing the same or are extending their sign-up season for several more weeks. (Luhby, 2/15)
In related news about medical bills —
KHN: ‘An Arm And A Leg’: Viral TikTok Video Serves Up Recipe To ‘Crush’ Medical Debt
Jared Walker, who runs a nonprofit that helps people pay medical bills, posted a TikTok video explaining the recipe to “crush” hospital bills via charity care policies. “What that means is that if you make under a certain amount of money, the hospital legally has to forgive your medical bills,” Walker said in the video. The video has been viewed more than 10 million times. Walker’s organization, Dollar For, had already helped wipe out millions in medical bills before he posted that video. (Weissmann, 2/15)
