Governor
Steve Bullock today highlighted the beginning of the 2020 Open Enrollment
period for the Affordable Care Act and promotion and outreach efforts to ensure
Montanans have quality and affordable health insurance coverage, especially
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Access
to quality, affordable health coverage is always important, but particularly
during a global pandemic,”
Governor Bullock said. “In addition to preserving
coverage by reauthorizing Medicaid expansion, we are boosting promotion and
outreach efforts to make sure every Montanan knows they can access assistance
to enroll and financial assistance if they need help paying their premiums.”
The
Open Enrollment period is from November 1 to December 15. Governor Bullock has
taken action to protect affordable and quality coverage in Montana, including
reauthorizing Medicaid expansion in 2019. Most recently, he committed $1
million in grants through the state’s Coronavirus Relief Funds for safety net
providers to train or pay staffing costs for certified application counselors
and do promotion and outreach regarding Open Enrollment. Twenty-five hospitals
and primary care clinics and the Cover Montana network are currently providing
support through the grant funding.
Financial
assistance is also available to Montanans who need help paying monthly premiums
and covering some out of pocket costs. In Montana, nine out of 10 individuals
who picked a plan in the last enrollment cycle received financial assistance to
make their plans more affordable. Nearly 60 percent of Montanans with an
Affordable Care Act plan paid less than $10 a month and over 70 percent paid
less than $75 a month.
All
marketplace plans cover doctor visits, hospital stays, prescriptions,
preventive care and more, and thanks to the Affordable Care Act, all
marketplace plans provide protections for the 435,000 Montanans with pre-existing
conditions.
To
get free one-on-one help go to CoverMT.org or call toll-free 1-844-682-6837.