For the second year in a row, the annual open enrollment period for health insurance policies marketed by the state’s Access Health CT exchange has been extended by a month.
On Monday, which was the original sign-up deadline for the open enrollment period that began on Nov. 1, Access Health said it wanted to give more time to those who wanted to enroll but didn’t do so in time, as well as to those who had enrolled but may want to change their selected policies.
“We know there are customers who are automatically enrolled in a health insurance plan every year who do not notice changes in their out-of-pocket costs or premiums until they use their plan or get their bills,” Access Health CEO James Michel said in a statement.
“There is a lot to think about when selecting a health insurance plan and we want to make sure our customers are able to pick the best plan for themselves and their families. We hope this extra time gives them the ability to make sure they picked a plan that fits their needs and gives them the best value in 2020,” Michel continued.
Last year, Access Health extended the Dec. 15 deadline to Jan. 15, citing potential confusion over a federal judge’s ruling deeming the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate to purchase insurance to be unconstitutional.
A year later, uncertainty from Texas v. United States persists, as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to rule soon on an appeal to the lower court’s ruling from last December.
Exactly what impacts that decision could have on state exchanges and enrollees isn’t entirely clear, but the ruling would likely be appealed to the Supreme Court, Courthouse News Service reported last month.
As of Friday, Access Health was reporting 102,589 enrollees in its non-Medicaid plans, which are offered by ConnectiCare and Anthem. That was on par with enrollment activity at this same time last year.
For any new customer who signs up between now and Jan. 15, coverage would kick in Feb. 1. Anyone who has already signed up and makes a change before the new deadline would also have the same effective date for coverage. However, the latter group would still be required to pay their January premium bill.
