Enrollment through New York’s official health
\nplan Marketplace increased more than two-fold
\nthrough the end of February, with more than 89
\npercent of enrollees being uninsured at the time
\nof application, according to a report released
\nrecently by New York State of Health (NYSOH).<\/p>\n
“Year two of NY State of Health was nothing
\nshort of an overwhelming success,” said NYSOH
\nExecutive Director Donna Frescatore. “We built
\nupon our first year’s solid foundation with
\nsignificant increases in enrollment and high
\nsatisfaction rates across the board. As we move
\ncloser to the third open enrollment period, slated
\nto begin on Nov. 1, this data will inform our efforts
\nto reach more New Yorkers.”<\/p>\n
Compared to the first open enrollment period,
\nenrollment in Qualified Health Plans (QHP),
\nMedicaid, and Child Health Plus increased in
\nevery county in the state, with 86 percent of those
\neligible to renew their QHP in 2015 doing so,
\nofficials said.<\/p>\n
The high renewal rate is indicative of
\nthe high level of satisfaction with the marketplace,
\nas was similarly found in independent consumer
\nsurveys conducted by the NYS Health Foundation.<\/p>\n
According to the report, more than 2.1
\nmillion people–over 10 percent of the state’s
\npopulation–enrolled in health insurance
\ncoverage through the Marketplace as of Feb.
\n28, the end of the second open enrollment. This
\nrepresents a more than a two-fold increase from
\nthe first open enrollment period, when 960,762
\nwere enrolled.<\/p>\n
Consistent with year one, nearly three-quarters
\nof individuals and families enrolled in a QHP
\nreceived financial assistance to reduce the cost of
\ntheir insurance. The average tax credit was $220
\nper month, up slightly from 2014, the report said.<\/p>\n
Overall, 89 percent of those enrolled as of Feb.
\n28 reported that they were uninsured when they
\napplied for coverage through the Marketplace, a
\n9 percentage point increase from 2014.<\/p>\n
New Yorkers from every region and county
\nin the state have enrolled in the marketplace.
\nEnrollees include a mix of New Yorkers across
\nall age groups, with 60 percent under age 35.
\nThirty-two percent of individuals enrolled in a
\nQHP are under age 35, 18 percent are between
\nages 35 and 44, 23 percent are between ages 45
\nand 54, and 25 percent are between ages 55 and
\n64, the report said.<\/p>\n
Small businesses with 50 or fewer employees
\ncan enroll in the Small Business Marketplace
\n(SBM) throughout the year. As of Feb. 28, over
\n3,700 small businesses had offered coverage and
\nnearly 15,000 employees and dependents had
\nenrolled through the SBM. Eighty-seven percent
\nof employers took advantage of the employee
\nchoice model, offering their employees the choice
\nof two or more QHPs, the report said.<\/p>\n
On average, SBM employers contributed
\n70 percent towards the cost of the employee’s
\ncoverage. Sixty-two percent offered coverage to
\ntheir employees’ dependents, up 14 percentage
\npoints from 2014. As projected, the average small
\nbusiness that enrolled through the SBM had
\nthree employees.<\/p>\n
Each of the 10 insurers participating in the
\nSBM enrolled one or more employer groups.
\nThe SBM covered workers in every county of
\nthe state with more than one-third of SBM
\nemployers located in New York City. Platinum
\nplans were again the most popular plan selected
\nin the SBM representing over one-third of total
\nenrollment. Gold and silver plans had nearly
\nequal shares of enrollment at 27 percent and 26
\npercent, respectively, and only 13 percent of SBM
\nenrollees chose bronze plans.<\/p>\n
The next open enrollment period will begin
\non Nov. 1, for coverage starting on Jan. 1. Until
\nthat time, only those individuals and families
\nwho qualify for a Special Enrollment Period
\nare able to enroll in a QHP. Special Enrollment
\nPeriod qualifying events include getting married,
\ngaining a dependent, losing employer insurance,
\nor permanently moving into New York state.<\/p>\n
During the next open enrollment period,
\nNYSOH will add a new program called the
\nBasic Health Program (BHP) to the suite of
\ninsurance coverage options available through
\nthe Marketplace. The BHP, which will be called
\nthe “essential plan,” will provide comprehensive
\ncoverage to qualified individuals based on income
\nat even more affordable rates.<\/p>\n
New Yorkers eligible for Medicaid and all
\nchildren can enroll in coverage through NYSOH
\nat any time during the year. NYSOH’s SBM is also
\nopen for enrollment throughout the year.<\/p>\n
NYSOH website, the NYSOH customer service
\ncenter and certified in-person assistors statewide
\nremain available to assist eligible New Yorkers
\nwith enrollment. Individuals and families can get
\ninformation and enroll in a plan either online at
\nnystateofhealth.ny.gov.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Enrollment through New York’s official health plan Marketplace increased more than two-fold through the end of February, with more than 89 percent of enrollees being uninsured at the time of application, according to a report released recently by New…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[57,82,102],"class_list":["post-17793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business-news","tag-business-news","tag-healthcare","tag-ny-state"],"yoast_head":"\r\n