Expanded federal health insurance financial aid set to expire in 2025. Here's what to know.
Mar. 18—The state's insurance exchange marketplace, Access Health CT, saw its highest enrollment numbers during its latest sign-up period that ended
However, the federal legislation that created the expanded subsidies and removed the income eligibility cap during the COVID-19 pandemic expires at the end of the year. Michel said that some consumers relying on financial aid to afford health insurance may now have to pay more for coverage or lose their aid eligibility entirely.
"Our concern is beyond just insurance," he said. At risk is "the overall health of the population, health stability of the insurance and hospital industry."
When the federal Affordable Care Act allowed for creation of Access Health CT in 2013, it provided provisions for some consumers to be eligible for financial assistance when they enroll in a qualified health plan. Michel said it was originally offered to people living at or below 400% of the federal poverty level.
The percentage of people who qualified for financial aid has historically hovered around 70% until former president
Enrollment through the state's marketplace has slowly increased over the years, but it skyrocketed during the most recent enrollment period as more people learned about the enhanced subsidies, according to data from Access Health CT.
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A total of 151,640
The laws that created the enhanced subsidies expire on
Michel said it's hard to predict the exact number of people who could be affected, but consumers who now qualify for subsidized health care could see their premiums increase significantly. In
He added that around 25,000 people living at the 400% federal poverty line may not qualify for the subsidies during the next enrollment period which starts in November, and will have to start paying out of pocket. The rise in cost may deter some consumers from renewing their health insurance altogether. At the same time, there are people who have no choice but to get health insurance because of a chronic condition, and they may be paying more for their care and will have to make "sacrifices" elsewhere.
"Maybe they won't go on vacation or buy the new car or maybe cut back on food purchases, so they have to back off the money because they need the coverage," he said.
"We remain committed to working toward solutions that prioritize patient access to care and believe that extending the enhanced tax credits is important to that effort," Kidwell added.
Michel said
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