CMS Kicks Off Effort to Help Marketplace Enrollees Stay Covered and Re-Enroll

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is committed to making it as easy as possible for current Health Insurance Marketplace enrollees to renew their coverage for 2015. It is encouraging consumers to come back at the start of Open Enrollment on Nov.15, update their 2015 application, and compare their options to make sure they enroll in the plan that best meets their budget and health needs for next year.

Consumers will begin to receive notices from the Federally-facilitated Marketplace in the mail and in their HealthCare.gov accounts, explaining how they can renew their coverage during Open Enrollment.

When consumers return to HealthCare.gov starting on Nov. 15 and initiate their 2015 application, 90 percent of their online application will already be filled out or pre-populated.  In-person assistance will be available to help review an applicant’s options and find a plan that best suits their needs. CMS is also staffing up an additional 1,000 call center representatives this year over last year that will be available to answer questions and walk consumers through the coverage process.

If consumers do not return to the Marketplace to update their application, they generally will be auto-enrolled in the same plan - with the same amount of advance payment of the premium tax credit and same cost-sharing reductions – as the 2014 plan year. They can change plans during open enrollment through Feb.15, with coverage in their new plan starting on the first day of the next or second month depending on when they enroll.

To help consumers better understand the renewal process, CMS is releasing today the 5 Steps to Staying Covered – to make it as simple as possible for them to choose the plan that best fits their needs and budget.  The consumer tested 5-step process includes:

1. Review: Plans change; people change – review your coverage and look for a letter from your plan about how your benefits and costs may change next year,
2. Update: Starting Nov. 15, log in and update your 2015 application - make sure your
3. household income and other information is up-to-date for next year,
4. Compare: Compare your current plan with other plans that are available in your area,
5. Choose: Select the health plan that best fits your budget and health needs, and
6. Enroll: The marketplace opens on Nov. 15, make sure to review, update, compare and choose by Dec. 15 to have any changes take effect on Jan. 1.  Contact your plan after you’ve enrolled and make sure you pay your first month’s premium.