MNsure Enrollees Get 4 Extra Weeks To Sign Up For 2018 Health Insurance

Aug. 02--Most Americans will have from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15 this year to get 2018 health insurance on the individual market. Minnesotans will get an extra four weeks.

The new Jan. 14 deadline was announced Tuesday by MNsure, Minnesota's state-run health insurance exchange. Because Minnesota hasn't turned its health insurance exchange over to the federal government, it has the ability to extend enrollment periods.

"We heard loud and clear from stakeholders and consumers that Minnesotans needed more time to shop than the federal open enrollment period allowed," MNsure CEO Allison O'Toole said in a statement.

Open enrollment will still begin on Nov. 1 for Minnesotans on the individual market, where about 4 percent of the state buys coverage. Most Minnesotans get insurance through an employer or a government program and have different deadlines for picking plans.

Last year's open enrollment period ran from Nov. 1 to Jan. 31. MNsure extended this by one week after the state Legislature passed a last-minute premium subsidy.

DECISION PITTED INSURERS VS. NAVIGATORS

MNsure had two choices to make: whether to extend the open-enrollment period, and if so, when. In addition to adding more time at the end, MNsure could have chosen to start enrollment before Nov. 1.

Final 2018 premiums will be announced on Oct. 2, after preliminary rates were released Monday.

The earlier date had the advantage of ending enrollment before the new year began. Insurers liked the certainty of knowing who their customers would be on Jan. 1 -- and getting an extra month of premiums. They also fear that extending enrollment into January will lead to more signups by people who get sick in late December or early January, adding more sick people to the pool of customers and raising costs.

But starting early meant more stress for navigators and brokers, who help people sign up for insurance.

"There's ... only so many hours in the day a navigator can work," said Maureen Marrin, the leader of a coalition of navigators, at a June MNsure board meeting.

It's also harder for many people to estimate their 2018 income during earlier enrollment, something that's important for determining what government subsidies an enrollee qualifies for. Finally, a later start could give more time to adjust to any possible changes the federal government makes to insurance markets in coming months.

"It would be difficult this year given ... the uncertainty of the waiver to commit to starting early this year," O'Toole said in June, referring to Minnesota's request for federal approval to create a premium-lowering program called "reinsurance."

So while committees representing insurers, consumers and small employers recommended enrollment from early August to mid-December, the navigators and brokers pushed for enrollment from November to mid-January. After several months of consideration, MNsure opted to extend the open-enrollment period into January.

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