Apr 15, 2020 - Health

The newly uninsured can turn to a stable ACA market

Bob Herman

People losing their employer-based health insurance in the coronavirus economy would find a pretty stable Affordable Care Act market if they need it — not that the Trump administration is advertising that fact.

Why it matters: ACA plans will be an important backstop for some newly uninsured people, many of whom could likely find affordable coverage on the law's insurance marketplaces.

Where it stands: The average monthly premium for ACA coverage was down 3% in this year's enrollment period, compared with 2019, according to a federal report that was released earlier this month but not publicly promoted.

That average monthly premium is $595, but the overwhelming majority of enrollees get a subsidy to help cover those costs — and people who have just lost a job could be eligible for those.
Some people "could get paid to buy ACA plans" right now because of looming insurance company rebates, according to Duke University health insurance researcher David Anderson.

Yes, but: You won't hear much about those options from the Trump administration, which has been consistently hostile to the ACA and has declined to open up a special enrollment window that would let anyone who has been disrupted by the economic shutdown to buy coverage.

Go deeper: Why Medicaid will be an even bigger lifeline for people losing their jobs and health coverage

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The newly uninsured can turn to a stable ACA market

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