Open enrollment on ACA online portal underway

Average health insurance rates in Illinois through the federal Affordable Care Act's online marketplace are trending downward for the fourth year in a row for plans taking effect in January 2022.

But in Springfield-area counties, monthly premiums for 2022 "silver" plans will be 10% or more higher than in 2021, according to a recent report from the Illinois Department of Insurance.

In Peoria-area counties, those premiums will rise between 6% and 10%.

For Rockford-area counties, the increases will be between 9% and 10%.

But an increase in federal subsidies funded through the American Rescue Plan, which further reduced the cost of premiums, meant most enrollees saw no net increase in out-of-pocket costs in 2021, according to Stephani Becker, associate director of healthcare justice at the Chicago-based Shriver Center on Poverty Law.

The enhanced subsidies will continue through 2022, she said.

The release of the insurance department's report coincided with the beginning of the open-enrollment period for HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment runs through Jan. 15, 2022, for plans that take effect in early 2022.

The boosted subsidies have had a "major impact" for Illinoisans, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and related job losses, Becker said.

Efforts are underway in Congress to pass President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" human-infrastructure initiative, which would keep ACA subsidies at the elevated levels for several years beyond 2022, Becker said.

There was an average 3% decrease statewide in premiums for the second lowest-cost silver "benchmark" plans, the state insurance department said in a news release.

Rate decreases for lowest-cost "gold" plans also are available this year in more counties across the state, the release said.

Dana Popish Severinghaus, acting director of the Illinois insurance department, said more stability in state-level ACA insurance marketplaces since the kickoff of 2015 coverage may be playing a role in the lower rates.

Federal funding for enrollment outreach efforts in Illinois has gone up since last year increasing from $300,000 to $4 million, Popish Severinghaus said.

The state also is spending $2 million in state funds on publicity for the enrollment period, Popish Severinghaus said.

Illinois will have 11 issuers on the individual insurance exchange for plan year 2022, compared with eight for plan year 2021. The new issuers are Molina Healthcare of Illinois, Oscar Health Plan and UnitedHealthcare of Illinois.

All of the new issuers are serving residents of counties in the Chicago area and northeastern Illinois.

The Springfield and Peoria areas will have the same two issuers: Health Alliance and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.

The Rockford area will have the same three issuers: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, MercyCare HMO and Quartz HMO.

Under the American Rescue Plan passed by Congress and signed into law by Biden in the spring, premiums on state-level exchanges were brought down to $1 or zero for people below 150% of the federal poverty level.

Premium subsidies previously ended for people and families with incomes over 400% of the poverty level, but the federal legislation capped premiums in those income brackets to 8.5% when they bought "silver" plans.

And the percentage of income that could be paid for "silver" plans in income groups below 400% of the poverty level was reduced across the board by the American Rescue Plan, leading to even lower out-of-pocket costs, Becker said.

Enrollment in the Medicaid program, funded by the state and federal government, also has risen during the pandemic, she said.

For childless adults in Illinois at or below 138% of the poverty level – the group made eligibility for Medicaid under the ACA – enrollment rose by 8%, from 716,926 in December 2020 to 777,908 in June 2021, according to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

A total of 291,215 Illinoisans signed up for ACA plans in the previous open enrollment period, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Because of a nationwide special enrollment period added during the year by the Biden administration, 54,432 more Illinoisans signed up for plans.

Eighty-five percent of Illinoisans enrolling through HealthCare.gov receive premium subsidies.

More free assistance is available for people wanting to enroll, Popish Severinghaus said. Organizations providing assistance in various parts of the state are listed online at GetCoveredIllinois.gov or by phone at (866) 311-1119.

HSHS Illinois is offering free calls with a certified application counselor. Consultations can be arranged by calling (217) 464-2510.

Central Counties Health Centers, 2239 E. Cook St., is offering free consultations and can be reached at (217) 788-2300.

Appointments for free counseling on ACA plans can be made at SIU Medicine by calling (217) 545-8000. Callers should ask to speak with a family medicine financial counselor.

Contact Dean Olsen: dolsen@gannett.com; (217) 836-1068; twitter.com/DeanOlsenSJR.