General Discussion

Poiuyt

(18,125 posts) Wed Apr 1, 2020, 09:56 PM Apr 2020

Obamacare Markets Will Not Reopen, Trump Decides

The Trump administration has decided against reopening the Affordable Care Act’s Healthcare.gov marketplaces to new customers, despite broad layoffs and growing fears that people will be uninsured during the coronavirus outbreak.

The option to reopen markets, in what is known as a special enrollment period, would have made it easier for people who have recently lost jobs or who had already been uninsured to obtain health insurance. The administration has established such special enrollment periods in the past, typically in the wake of natural disasters.

The administration had been considering the action for several weeks, and President Trump mentioned such conversations in a recent news briefing. But according to a White House official, those discussions are now over. The news of the decision was previously reported by Politico.

-snip-

Though the administration continues to run the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, it has taken numerous steps to weaken them, and President Trump continues to call for the health law’s elimination and replacement. The administration has joined a lawsuit with a group of Republican states that calls for the entire law to be overturned, which the Supreme Court will consider in its next term. Mr. Trump recently told reporters that he continues to support the suit, and would like to replace the law, though he has not specified a preferred policy alternative.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/upshot/obamacare-markets-coronavirus-trump.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&fbclid=IwAR0gm8nfEUdCxup08gSMaxT0tXNkevcHLbHg9Y8hworqut5ZWg3jX1i9gsQ

Bastard!

14 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Obamacare Markets Will Not Reopen, Trump Decides (Original Post) Poiuyt Apr 2020 OP

GOP are sadists and those in their "cult" are masochists. BigmanPigman Apr 2020 #1

People who have lost employment and thus their insurance can sign up for ACA now, Hoyt Apr 2020 #2

I think Putin is happy with Trump's performance to date. OAITW r.2.0 Apr 2020 #3

It was interesting watching Pence talk about medicaid today SouthernCal_Dem Apr 2020 #4

I think you mean Medicare..... NRaleighLiberal Apr 2020 #5

Really? SouthernCal_Dem Apr 2020 #8

Pretty sure it's Medicaid. There was never an expansion of Medicare, Crunchy Frog Apr 2020 #9

EVERYONE who loses insurance because they are laid off Ms. Toad Apr 2020 #6

Thank you for posting this info. crickets Apr 2020 #13

Yup - but the media needs to do a better job of expaining it, as well Ms. Toad Apr 2020 #14

worse human alive. spanone Apr 2020 #7

honestly the idea that you could only sign up at certain times of the year was always stupid questionseverything Apr 2020 #10

Having a Scheduled Annual Enrolment is A Feature of Every Plan - Government and Private Indykatie Apr 2020 #11

candidate obama said questionseverything Apr 2020 #12

BigmanPigman

(51,611 posts)

1. GOP are sadists and those in their "cult" are masochists.

Reply to Poiuyt (Original post)

Wed Apr 1, 2020, 10:06 PM

Apr 2020

Too bad their sick S&M relationship makes the rest of us sick (literally).

Covered CA has extended it, even if tRump says "no". Of course premiums for EVERYONE's health insur increased 20% last year and next year they are predicting a 40% increase due to the costs of the virus.
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.t02.htm

"Special-Enrollment Period Due to Coronavirus Now Available
Because of the coronavirus (COVID-19), you can apply now for coverage if you are uninsured and eligible. You can also apply if you didn’t know about the new state penalty or new financial help available. Medi-Cal enrollment continues to be year-round."
https://www.coveredca.com/individuals-and-families/getting-covered/special-enrollment/

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)

2. People who have lost employment and thus their insurance can sign up for ACA now,

Reply to Poiuyt (Original post)

Wed Apr 1, 2020, 10:14 PM

Apr 2020

as I understand it.

OAITW r.2.0

(24,504 posts)

3. I think Putin is happy with Trump's performance to date.

Reply to Poiuyt (Original post)

Wed Apr 1, 2020, 10:15 PM

Apr 2020

I wonder how much contact Trump has had with his boss during this disaster Trump has actively sought to inflame?

SouthernCal_Dem

(852 posts)

4. It was interesting watching Pence talk about medicaid today

Reply to Poiuyt (Original post)

Wed Apr 1, 2020, 10:18 PM

Apr 2020

A reporter asked him about Americans who are uninsured and how they could afford corona virus treatment and testing.

Pence mentioned medicaid.

WTF?

Republicans have been trying to dismantle medicaid since its existence.

Numerous states failed to expand medicaid because they hated Obama.

WTF?

Get these guys outta here!

NRaleighLiberal

(60,015 posts)

5. I think you mean Medicare.....

Reply to SouthernCal_Dem (Reply #4)

Wed Apr 1, 2020, 10:24 PM

Apr 2020

SouthernCal_Dem

(852 posts)

8. Really?

Reply to NRaleighLiberal (Reply #5)

Wed Apr 1, 2020, 10:28 PM

Apr 2020

When a reporter asked him about the uninsured and coronavirus today, I thought he referenced Medicaid.

Which makes sense because the very nature of Medicare means many Americans would be insured/covered if over a certain age.

However, I could be wrong.

Crazy night

Crunchy Frog

(26,587 posts)

9. Pretty sure it's Medicaid. There was never an expansion of Medicare,

Reply to NRaleighLiberal (Reply #5)

Wed Apr 1, 2020, 11:25 PM

Apr 2020

and eligibility for it is consistent across states.

Ms. Toad

(34,076 posts)

6. EVERYONE who loses insurance because they are laid off

Reply to Poiuyt (Original post)

Wed Apr 1, 2020, 10:24 PM

Apr 2020

even if they have the option of COBRA - is entitled to a special enrollment period.

Nothing Trump can do about that - so if you are in that situation, don't believe the hype in this announcement. Go to the marketplace and get yourself insurance.

Life changes that can qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period

Changes in household
You may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you or anyone in your household in the past 60 days:

Got married. Pick a plan by the last day of the month and your coverage can start the first day of the next month.
Had a baby, adopted a child, or placed a child for foster care. Your coverage can start the day of the event — even if you enroll in the plan up to 60 days afterward.
Got divorced or legally separated and lost health insurance. Note: Divorce or legal separation without losing coverage doesn’t qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period.
Died. You’ll be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period if someone on your Marketplace plan dies and as a result you’re no longer eligible for your current health plan.

Changes in residence
Household moves that qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period:

Moving to a new home in a new ZIP code or county
Moving to the U.S. from a foreign country or United States territory
If you're a student, moving to or from the place you attend school
If you're a seasonal worker, moving to or from the place you both live and work
Moving to or from a shelter or other transitional housing
Note: Moving only for medical treatment or staying somewhere for vacation doesn’t qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period.

Important: You must confirm you had qualifying health coverage for one or more days during the 60 days before your move. You don't need to provide confirmation if you’re moving from a foreign country or U.S. territory.

Loss of health insurance
You may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you or anyone in your household lost qualifying health coverage in the past 60 days OR expects to lose coverage in the next 60 days.

Coverage losses that may qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period:

Losing job-based coverage
Losing individual health coverage for a plan or policy you bought yourself
Losing eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP
Losing eligibility for Medicare
Losing coverage through a family member

https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage-outside-open-enrollment/special-enrollment-period/

Trump's decidion affects primarily people who chose not to (or could not afford) to buy insurance - or who lost their jobs more than 60 days ago and did not take advantage of the open enrollment period then.

crickets

(25,981 posts)

13. Thank you for posting this info.

Reply to Ms. Toad (Reply #6)

Thu Apr 2, 2020, 05:13 PM

Apr 2020

Trump lies to keep people from finding out that they don't need his permission or say-so. He has nothing to do with it. It just goes to show that trump* will do anything he can think of to keep people from getting the help they are entitled to, the murderous SOB.

Ms. Toad

(34,076 posts)

14. Yup - but the media needs to do a better job of expaining it, as well

Reply to crickets (Reply #13)

Thu Apr 2, 2020, 06:18 PM

Apr 2020

Instead of just lambasting Trump for not creating a special open enrollent period, it also needs to remind anyone who has just lost their job that the special enrollment period already exists.

spanone

(135,844 posts)

7. worse human alive.

Reply to Poiuyt (Original post)

Wed Apr 1, 2020, 10:26 PM

Apr 2020

heartless

questionseverything

(9,656 posts)

10. honestly the idea that you could only sign up at certain times of the year was always stupid

Reply to Poiuyt (Original post)

Wed Apr 1, 2020, 11:35 PM

Apr 2020

life doesn't happen on a schedule

Indykatie

(3,697 posts)

11. Having a Scheduled Annual Enrolment is A Feature of Every Plan - Government and Private

Reply to questionseverything (Reply #10)

Thu Apr 2, 2020, 12:05 AM

Apr 2020

Because life "doesn't happen on a schedule" as you said they also contain a life event feature which allows you to enroll at any time. Examples include divorce, birth of a child, job loss, loss of Employer insurance etc. There are good reasons to have a fixed open enrollment period including people opting out of insurance and only deciding to buy in once they know they will have a loss.

questionseverything

(9,656 posts)

12. candidate obama said

Reply to Indykatie (Reply #11)

Thu Apr 2, 2020, 04:44 PM

Apr 2020

I trust the American people to do the right thing

then the insurance companies over ruled him and we get a specific time period to sign up

only the lucky ones past 65 get healthcare and the rest of us get to pay for it out of every paycheck...since a huge part of the electorate is benefitting I have no hope it will change

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