More federal resources will be available next year to help uninsured Texans gain access to health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said last week.
The agency will make $80 million in grants available to navigators in the ACA Marketplaces for the 2022 plan year, an increase from the $10 million that had been available for the past two years.
Navigators help people understand eligibility and application requirements for plans as well as raise public awareness about the Marketplace.
In Texas, CMS in 2020 provided a total of $2 million to two organizations to serve as navigators, an increase from the year before, but significantly lower than 2013 – ACA’s inaugural year – when eight organizations received more than $10 million.
Details about navigator funding for the 2022 plan year, including recipients and amounts, will be available later this year, CMS said. Open enrollment for 2022 begins Nov. 1, 2021.
Texas leads the nation in the number of uninsured residents, with more 5.2 million people without health insurance.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Marketplace Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for the 2021 plan year has been extended to Aug. 15. More than 500,000 people nationwide have applied for Marketplace coverage during the SEP, which began April 1, CMS said.
Almost 1.3 million Texans selected a Marketplace plan during the 2021 open enrollment period, CMS said, up from 1.1 million in 2020.
The Texas Medical Association has continuously worked to improve Texans’ access to health coverage, including pressing state lawmakers this session to support a multifaceted strategy that will provide comprehensive coverage to uninsured and underinsured Texans.
Physicians can help TMA’s efforts by responding to Action Alerts via email, visiting the Grassroots Action Center, and by registering for the final First Tuesdays at the Capitol of the session on May 4.