Lower Rates, More Choice For Wisconsinites Ahead Of Open Enrollment

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and Insurance Commissioner Mark Afable recently announced reduced health insurance rates and more health plan options for consumers getting enrolled on the Marketplace for 2022.

This fall, residents in every county in Wisconsin will have the opportunity to choose from more than one health plan option on HealthCare.gov, with most counties covered by at least three different carriers. Open enrollment – the annual period in which people can enroll in a health insurance plan on the individual market – will begin on Nov. 1 and continue through Jan. 15, 2022.

An interactive map of health insurers available by county can be found here.

"I urge anyone who needs health insurance to check out the marketplace, because most plans have never been more affordable," said Afable.

"If you need help signing up for a plan or determining if you qualify for financial assistance," Afable added, "visit WisCovered.com or call 2-1-1 to find a free insurance expert who will help you one-on-one."

Ahead of 2022 Open Enrollment, five insurance companies expanded their service area to offer more options for consumers across Wisconsin. In addition to increased choice, many consumers will also benefit from lower premiums with a weighted average rate decrease of 0.3 percent across individual marketplace plans.

Without the successful Wisconsin Healthcare Stability Plan (WIHSP), which Gov. Evers fully funded and expanded in the 2021-2023 state biennial budget, rates would have increased by 14.5% based on a weighted average.

"Every Wisconsinite deserves access to quality, affordable healthcare-especially as we continue our battle with COVID-19," said Evers.

"These new, lower health insurance rates will help more people get access to the care they need," Evers added, "and I encourage folks to take advantage of them once the open enrollment period begins in November."

The development of WIHSP was a bipartisan effort that has helped keep rates low for consumers every year since its implementation.

In 2019, Wisconsin's health insurance marketplace saw a premium rate decrease of 4.2% compared to an estimated 10% increase consumers would have faced without the program in place. In 2020, rates were an additional 3.2% lower than in 2019, and 2021 rates were 3.4% lower than those in 2020.

OCI is encouraging every Wisconsinite to consider getting covered during Open Enrollment. They can get free, expert help at WisCovered.com which connects consumers to services available in English, Spanish, and Hmong. WisCovered.com helps put people in touch with experts from organizations like Covering Wisconsin and the United Way's 2-1-1 helpline.

These experts can help individuals and families understand their coverage options and determine if they qualify for premium assistance programs.

WisCovered.com is the result of a public-private partnership created by Gov. Evers in 2019 to help make sure every Wisconsinite has access to affordable health insurance.

The site also includes a digital toolkit to help interested stakeholders promote the upcoming open enrollment period.