FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Date: May 13, 2021
Contact: William Lineberry, Marketing & Communication Manager
Enroll Virginia, 804-366-3531 or william@vplc.org

More than 24,000 Virginians have selected new health coverage plans since the current special enrollment period began

RICHMOND, Va.- Virginians are enrolling in health coverage through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace at higher rates than ever before.

Since the current special open enrollment period began in February under an executive order from President Biden, 24,634 Virginians have enrolled in ACA coverage, according to CMS data. Compared to the same time last year in Virginia, that is a more than 116 percent increase in enrollments. Nationwide, more than 940,000 have enrolled during the SEP.

The enrollment increase is largely due to the creation and extension of the special open enrollment period until August 15 and the American Rescue Plan Act. The ARPA has created new financial subsidies that are available to almost all ACA-eligible individuals, making coverage more affordable than ever.

“The re-opening of the Marketplace along with the increases in financial assistance that dramatically reduce monthly insurance premiums has confirmed that people desperately want affordable health coverage for themselves and their families,” said Jill Hanken, director of Enroll Virginia. “It is amazing to see so many Virginians taking advantage of the recent changes and taking steps to protect their health.”

“The re-opening of the Marketplace along with the increases in financial assistance that dramatically reduce monthly insurance premiums has confirmed that people desperately want affordable health coverage for themselves and their families.”

For many income levels in Virginia, monthly premiums have been cut in half because of ARPA subsidies. For example, a 27-year-old with an income of $40,000 in Montgomery County can see their monthly premium drop from $468 to $211. A Henrico County household of two (ages 55 and 60) with an income of $50,000 would see their monthly premium go from $1,700 to $260.

In addition to subsidies for eligible individuals, Marketplace enrollees with income over 400 percent of the federal poverty level ($51,040 for an individual, $86,880 for a family of three) are eligible for subsidies for the first time ever. This opens coverage options to many self-employed individuals and small business owners who have long been unable to afford Marketplace coverage due to a lack of available subsidies.

Virginians have until August 15 to enroll in ACA coverage. New coverage will begin on the first day of next month. Some individuals who have recently been laid off and who are currently enrolled in COBRA can possibly have their COBRA coverage fully subsidized through the ARPA until September 30, 2021.

Enroll Virginia, a community-based organization and project of the Virginia Poverty Law Center, provides free, unbiased assistance to all Virginians seeking to enroll in health coverage through the ACA and Medicaid/FAMIS. All assistance is available in a virtual, contact-less setting via Zoom.

Consumers may contact Enroll Virginia’s staff by calling, 1-888-392-5132 and entering their zip code to be directly transferred to a navigator in their community. Consumers can also visit Enroll Virginia’s website: https://www.enrollva.org/get-help/ where they can find local assisters and schedule an appointment.

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Enroll Virginia (a project of the Virginia Poverty Law Center) is supported by the Virginia State Corporation Commission and the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange, in accordance with the provisions of Va. Code § 38.2-6513(B). The contents provided are solely the responsibility of the authors.