Trump officials weigh reopening Obamacare enrollment over coronavirus
The Trump administration is considering whether to create a special enrollment period for Obamacare coverage because of the coronavirus emergency, a CMS spokesperson confirmed.
A number of Democratic-leaning states that run their own health insurance marketplaces have recently reopened enrollment, encouraging uninsured residents to get covered amid the pandemic. Most states, however, use the federal marketplace overseen by the Trump administration, HealthCare.gov.
Major health insurance lobbies on Friday said they would support reopening enrollment in Obamacare markets if the government covered anticipated losses, despite some initial reluctance. Some insurers feared getting saddled with huge costs if many coronavirus patients signed up for coverage.
The insurer lobbies, America's Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, called on Congress this week to include funding in the upcoming coronavirus stimulus package to offset potential losses from covering more people.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the administration was weighing a special enrollment period.
A spokesperson for CMS, which oversees the insurance marketplaces, said people should also check HealthCare.gov to see if they already qualify for a special enrollment period because they lost their job or other circumstances.
