White House officials are reaching out to Northeast Ohioans to make sure people know that the open enrollment period to obtain health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act has begun and runs through Jan. 15.
Under the ACA or "Obamacare," beneficiaries will have more options and broader coverage at lower costs this year, said White House official Jessica Schubel.
"We are just laser-focused on not only lowering health care costs but making health care as accessible to folks as it is affordable," Schubel said.
Schubel, who serves as special assistant to the President for health care at the Domestic Policy Council, said beneficiaries will see an average of $800 in savings annually from last year and be able to purchase plans for as little as $10 per month due to changes implemented through the Inflation Reduction Act. She added that 96% of beneficiaries will have access to three or more plans, up from 93% last year under the ACA.
Analysis by KFF, an organization that tracks health policy research, shows that unsubsidized premiums in the ACA marketplaces are rising, in part due to inflation, but other factors like the reduced use of COVID-related care have had a downward effect on premiums.
The Inflation Reduction Act temporarily means the majority of shoppers are eligible for help paying for premiums, according to KFF. The subsidies cap premiums as a share of household income, meaning that most enrollees will be sheltered from the increases in the sticker price of the premium.
In 2023, a record 15.7 million people enrolled in marketplace coverage including nearly 300,000 Ohioans, KFF figures show.
This year enrollees will have access to additional types of care and health facilities, Schubel said.
"For the first time, health plans will have to include mental health facilities, substance use disorder, treatment centers and rural emergency hospitals in their provider network," she said.
She also urged beneficiaries to purchase coverage by Dec. 15 to ensure it's in place by the first of the year and to use healthcare.gov to shop for plans.
