Going For The Gold: Quirk In This Year’s Subsidies Has Consumers Scooping Up Higher Tiered Plans
The gold plans are normally more expensive, but consumers are reaping an unintended consequence of the Trump administration's cutting off cost-sharing subsidies for insurers.
Marketplace:
California Consumers Are Buying Gold Health Insurance Plans In Record Numbers
Obamacare’s open enrollment period closes for most states Friday. Thanks to a complicated federal formula, a spike in premiums this year has given consumers who are eligible for subsidies more money to buy insurance. (Gorenstein, 12/13)
The New York Times:
Strong Demand For Health Insurance As Deadline Looms
More than one million people signed up last week for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, pushing the total in the federal marketplace to nearly 4.7 million, the Trump administration said Wednesday, days before the annual enrollment period is scheduled to end. The number of sign-ups on HealthCare.gov from Nov. 1 through Saturday was about 17 percent higher than the same time last year. But the final tally is likely to fall short of the 9.2 million who were in plans at the end of the last open enrollment period, which was twice as long as the current one. (Pear, 12/13)
Meanwhile, a new report touts the benefits of the Affordable Care Act —
Los Angeles Times:
Obamacare Is Helping Patients Get To The Doctor And Pay Their Medical Bills, New Report Finds
Fewer Americans are putting off doctor visits or struggling with medical bills, according to a new report examining the effect of the Affordable Care Act. The report – based on a state-by-state survey of data collected by the federal government – provides powerful new evidence that insurance gains made through the 2010 healthcare law are helping millions of patients get needed medical care. (Levey, 12/13)