The bill extends enhanced subsidies for three more years and helps bring down costs for Connecticut residents who need financial help to pay for the cost of their health insurance premiums
HARTFORD, Conn. ( August 12, 2022) — Access Health CT (AHCT), Connecticut’s official health insurance marketplace, today announced Connecticut residents who purchase health insurance on the exchange will continue to receive enhanced subsidies thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The enhanced subsidies, which were set to expire at the end of the year, are advanced premium tax credits that help Connecticut residents pay for the cost of their monthly health insurance payments. This financial help is now extended for three more years.
Anthem, ConnectiCare Benefits Inc. (CBI) have filed rates for both individual and small group plans that will be marketed through Access Health CT, the state-sponsored health insurance exchange. ConnectiCare Insurance Company, Inc. has filed rates for the individual market on the exchange.
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and HPHC have decided to leave the CT market and will no longer offer new business small group health plans. They will only renew existing plans through the end of their appropriate plan years.
The 2023 rate proposals for the individual and small group market are on average higher than last year:
Access Health CT Announces Special Enrollment Period For Covered Connecticut Program
Eligible Connecticut residents have until June 30 to enroll
HARTFORD, Conn. (Feb. 15, 2022) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced a Special Enrollment Period for the Covered Connecticut Program that provides health insurance at no cost to Connecticut residents who meet eligibility requirements. This Special Enrollment Period runs now through June 30.
Created and funded by the State of Connecticut, the Covered Connecticut Program pays the customer’s portion of the monthly payment (premium) directly to their insurance company. The program also covers the cost-sharing amounts they would typically have to pay with a health insurance plan, such as co-pays, co-insurance, deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket costs.
Access Health CT Announces New Special Enrollment Period for Connecticut Residents with Lower Income
HARTFORD, Conn. (April 25, 2022) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced a new Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for Connecticut residents with lower income beginning April 25. This new SEP will provide access to no- or very low-cost health insurance plans made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
To be eligible for this SEP, Connecticut residents must:
Be new or returning customers who are not currently enrolled in a health insurance plan through Access Health CT.
Have a household income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
If you don't know what 150% FPL is, it depends on your household size:
The Health Insurance Exchange is seeking responses to an official request for proposals and is allocating up to $400,000 to support the initiative
HARTFORD, Conn. (April 7, 2022) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced the opening of its fiscal year 2023 Navigator Grant Program. The program will allow AHCT to deepen its community relationships with the goal of engaging, educating, informing and enrolling individuals in health insurance throughout Connecticut, particularly in minority communities that experience significant health disparities and higher uninsured rates.
HARTFORD, Conn. (March 25, 2022) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced that it was honored by the Hartford Business Journal (HBJ) and Best Companies Group as one of the “Best Places to Work in Connecticut.” This is the third, consecutive year AHCT has been named as a top workplace by the HBJ. The honorees were recognized at a ceremony at Farmington Gardens last night. The annual program was created by the Hartford Business Journal and the third-party research firm, Best Companies Group.
“Everything we do at Access Health CT supports our mission and is guided by our company values,” said Access Health CT Chief Executive Officer, James Michel. “Our values — authenticity, integrity, excellence, ownership, one team and passion — were created by our staff and are the driving force behind our strong company culture.”
More than 65,000 Access Health CT enrollees would be impacted
HARTFORD, Conn. (March 16, 2022) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced that more than 65,000 Connecticut residents would be negatively impacted by reduced or eliminated financial help for health insurance if the increased financial assistance from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) expires at the end of 2022.
The $178 million per year ($14.8 million per month) of assistance residents receive through ARPA will end unless the enhanced premium tax credits continue past 2022 through federal legislation.
“Ending increased financial help would have a significant impact on Connecticut residents,” said James Michel, Access Health CT Chief Executive Officer, “including progress made toward addressing health disparities. The American Rescue Plan Act makes health insurance coverage more affordable and accessible – greatly reducing the impact of social determinants of health.”
Access Health CT Announces Special Enrollment Period For Covered Connecticut Program
Eligible Connecticut residents have until June 30 to enroll
HARTFORD, Conn. (Feb. 15, 2022) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced a Special Enrollment Period for the Covered Connecticut Program that provides health insurance at no cost to Connecticut residents who meet eligibility requirements. This Special Enrollment Period runs now through June 30.
Created and funded by the State of Connecticut, the Covered Connecticut Program pays the customer’s portion of the monthly payment (premium) directly to their insurance company. The program also covers the cost-sharing amounts they would typically have to pay with a health insurance plan, such as co-pays, co-insurance, deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket costs.
I've received a copy of Access Health CT's monthly board meeting slideshow, which includes the final 2022 Open Enrollment Period metrics and other demographic data. Here's some of the key points:
OE Enrollment/Eligibility Activity:
Started OE 9 with 107,058 enrollees (Up 8%)
112,634 enrolled into a qualified health plan (Up 7%)
47.5% eligible for APTC (Up 20%), 36.2% eligible for APTC/CSR (Down 6%).
Enrollees ineligible for financial help down 43%
24,773 determined eligible and completed application for Medicaid (Down 27%)
112,634 is the topline number. Last year's final OEP enrollment tally for Connecticut was 104,946 QHP selections, which means they actually ended up 7.3% year over year. FWIW, I think CT's all-time OEP enrollment record was 116,000 back in 2016.
Completed applications/redeterminations processed through the integrated eligibility system: 23,719
I'm not entirely sure what the 17,677 figure refers to, but I've confirmed that it's already included in the larger number.
Last year's final OEP enrollment tally for Connecticut was 104,946 QHP selections, which they're now 5.7% ahead of...with a day and a half left for CT residents to get covered.
