Maine Gov. Mills Applauds Biden Administration Decision to Open Special Enrollment Period During Pandemic

AUGUSTA, Maine, Jan. 29 -- Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, issued the following statement on Jan. 28, 2021:

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Governor Janet Mills today applauded President Biden's decision to open HealthCare.gov for a "Special Enrollment Period," from February 15, 2021 - May 15, 2021:

"Health care saves lives. It keeps people working, enjoying life, and contributing to the economy. That is why my Administration has been focused since day one on making health care more affordable and more accessible to Maine people.

"Right now, more than 70,000 people in Maine have health insurance as a result of Medicaid expansion," said Governor Mills.

"This pandemic has only brought into sharper relief the importance of health care. It is more important than ever to ensure that Maine people can see their doctor, receive care, and stay healthy.

"I applaud the President's decision to open a special enrollment period, which will give Maine people who need health care coverage another opportunity to sign up. I encourage Maine people who need affordable, high-quality insurance to visit CoverME.gov on February 15 to learn about coverage options, find local assistance, and consider applying."

Most Maine people shopping through the federal HealthCare.gov marketplace can find coverage that costs less than $75 a month for health coverage in 2021, according to federal data . Sixty percent of Maine HealthCare.gov customers qualify for a plan costing under $75 a month, while 40 percent can pay under $10 a month. People with income between 139 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (under $51,040 for a single person, $104,800 for a family of four) can get reduced premiums through the marketplace.

Last year, Governor Mills joined a coalition of Governors from across the country in urging the then-Trump Administration to allow for a special enrollment period of at least 30 days on the federal health care exchange. The Governor also wrote to Maine's Congressional Delegation asking them to urge the Administration to do the same, noting that "access to health insurance coverage not only provides peace of mind for individuals, but also protects public health by encouraging the use of necessary health services."

Governor Mills also declared an insurance emergency on March 12, 2020 to improve access to care and under that order Superintendent of Insurance Eric Cioppa also ordered that private, fully insured plans pay the full costs of COVID-19 vaccination. All plans available through HealthCare.gov provide coverage for the COVID-19 vaccine with no out of pocket cost, and also cover COVID-19 testing and treatment.