Shaheen Statement Ahead of Health Insurance Open Enrollment Period That Begins November 1

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen issued the following statement ahead of the health insurance open enrollment period, which runs from November 1 through December 15. Despite the Trump administration’s continued efforts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and defund activities to raise awareness of the enrollment period, the law remains in place and Granite Staters are encouraged to visit HealthCare.gov to view and compare health plans for 2020, and to enroll by the December 15 deadline. 

“The health insurance open enrollment period begins on Friday and I encourage Granite Staters to visit HealthCare.gov to shop around for the best plan for them and their families,” said Shaheen. “The Affordable Care Act continues to provide people access to the health coverage they need, despite the Trump administration’s incessant efforts to sabotage the law. The administration has slashed funding for programs that spread awareness about the health care open enrollment period, so I encourage Granite Staters to help out and let their friends and family members know that they can review health plan options over the next six weeks and many can receive a tax credit to help pay for their monthly premiums. I’ll keep working across the aisle to prioritize efforts that reduce costs, strengthen the ACA, and ensure every American has access to quality affordable health care.”

According to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, more than half of Granite Staters can get a plan with net premiums of $75 or less per month, after help from tax credits, and many can even get a plan for $10 or less per month, thanks to the ACA’s tax credits. Thousands of Granite States will also qualify for financial assistance to help reduce the cost of deductibles.

Senator Shaheen has led efforts in the Senate to stabilize the health insurance markets and make health care affordable and accessible for all Americans. She introduced the Marketing and Outreach Restoration to Empower (MORE) Health Education Act of 2019 with Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Gary Peters (D-MI) to counteract Trump administration sabotage efforts that have slashed funding for health care enrollment advertising and marketing by 90 percent since the President took office. She also introduced the Protecting Americans with Pre-existing Conditions Act with Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to prevent the Trump administration from using federal premium tax credits to  promote and incentivize enrollment in “junk plans” that do not provide coverage of pre-existing conditions or essential health benefits. 

And earlier this year, Shaheen unveiled a health care affordability package that includes three pieces of legislation to reduce health care costs for patients and expand access to critical medical services. Together, the Marketplace Certainty Act, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act and Reducing Costs for Out-of-Network Services Act would make essential reforms to the health care law that would help stabilize the marketplace, lower premiums and deductibles for middle-class families and combat escalating out-of-pocket health care costs.