December 9, 2024

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Open enrollment begins for New York’s Affordable Care Act health insurance plans

Open enrollment begins for New York’s Affordable Care Act health insurance plans

It’s easy to get sticker shock when signing up for health insurance — but this year more residents enrolling in plans through New York’s Affordable Care Act marketplace will be eligible for discounts, though some plans offer bigger savings than others.

New Yorkers can enroll in 2025 health coverage through the New York State of Health marketplace between Nov. 1 and Jan. 31, and by Dec. 15 for coverage taking effect Jan. 1.

New state insurance subsidies approved by the Biden administration this year will save an estimated 117,000 New Yorkers more than $3 million on health care costs in 2025, according to state health officials. The subsidies could significantly reduce out-of-pocket spending for middle-income New Yorkers as well as anyone who is pregnant, has diabetes, or has recently given birth.

The monthly premiums charged for plans on the individual insurance marketplace are going up by an average of 12.7% this year, but many consumers are eligible for reduced rates, due to ongoing federal tax credits.

The new state subsidies target additional pain points, such as the annual deductible — the amount a patient has to spend out of pocket on health care services each year before insurance starts picking up the tab.

“It’s really exciting that the marketplace is now able to offer meaningful subsidies, and what that means in this case is really huge reductions in the amount of cost-sharing,” said Elisabeth Benjamin, the vice president of health initiatives at the Community Service Society of New York.

The new subsidies will eliminate copays on marketplace plans for most health services and medications related to diabetes, pregnancy and postpartum care.

The subsidies won’t apply to hospital care, including the sometimes astronomical cost of actually giving birth. But they will save 1,600 individuals who are pregnant or postpartum about $2,800 each, according to state estimates.

Additional subsidies target middle-income New Yorkers who may struggle to cover their health care costs but who make too much to qualify for public insurance options like Medicaid or the Essential Plan. Those plans don’t charge any monthly fees or deductibles and have very limited copays — but are only available to New Yorkers earning less than 250% of the federal poverty level, which is $37,650 for an individual.

Now, individuals earning between $37,650 and $52,710 will be able to sign up for coverage with annual deductibles of just $350, along with discounted copays for health services.

The state estimates that about 80,000 residents in this income bracket will benefit, each saving about $3,500 on health costs over the course of the year.

More modest savings will be available to people earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level, or $60,240 for an individual.

But to get these subsidies, health care consumers have to be in the know. Only certain plans — known as “Silver Supreme” and “Silver Enhanced” plans — offer the discounted deductibles.

“It seems a little counterintuitive,” since “Bronze” plans typically have lower monthly fees, Benjamin said. “But the fact is, these enhancements are all pegged to the ‘Silver’ plans.”

She said New Yorkers should consider reaching out to a health care navigator to help them figure out which plan to sign up for, either through the Community Service Society or another organization.