The Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for Marketplace Affordable Care Act (ACA) that opened on February 15 continues through May 15, 2021, as more customers are using the opportunity to get health insurance.
Last week, the Administration announced that the number of consumers who chose coverage through HealthCare.gov from February 15 through February 28 totaled 206,236. That was approximately three times higher than during the same period last year and 3 1/2 times greater than in 2019. Those time periods were limited to circumstances where people have lost insurance due to significant life events. This year’s special enrollment is due to COVID-19. SEP allows individuals and families in states with Marketplaces served by the HealthCare.gov platform to enroll in 2021 health insurance coverage, and eligible families can submit new applications or update an existing application, Go to www.HealthCare.gov for step-by-step guidance
The numbers released by HHS do not count states that have their own ACA enrollment websites. Earlier in the week, HHS had announced adding in another two and a half million dollars to expand efforts by ACA navigator programs. The navigator programs were intended to help people signing up, but funding was slashed during the Trump Administration.
