ACA 2020 Open Enrollment Nov 1 to Dec 15

[audreyh1]

We haven’t received any letters from BCBS TX regarding open enrollment or renewal of current plans for 2020. Has anyone gotten anything yet?

 

[footenote]

MNSure (our Minnesota exchange) opened for window-shopping Oct 15. Looked at plans, played with MAGI / subsidy options. So useful to have time to see what's available at what premium prices before open enrollment starts Nov 1.

 

[MichaelB]

BCBS Florida has announced their 2020 plans and is accepting applications.

 

[Dtail]

I received a preliminary estimate for 2020 from Florida Blue based on the same MAGI and plan from 2019.
Last year the estimate was way too high, but am guessing it appears reasonable this time.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I received a preliminary estimate for 2020 from Florida Blue based on the same MAGI and plan from 2019.
Last year the estimate was way too high, but am guessing it appears reasonable this time.

So did we, I ran it by my HI Broker, she said it is exactly that, an estimate, she still does not have the final numbers, and she represents Florida Blue exclusively. She told me that the actual numbers are usually published at th last minute, JIT for the first day of enrolment.

 

[VanWinkle]

Finally not worried about the ACA as I go on Medicare Nov 1st!!

It worked great for 2 years though.

 

[Dtail]

Finally not worried about the ACA as I go on Medicare Nov 1st!!

It worked great for 2 years though.

Lucky you. I figure 2020 is safe for now with all the subsidies intact. Then 4 more years for me.
We shall see.

 

[SecondCor521]

My state exchange has had the new plans and prices available for window shopping for a couple of weeks.

I got a letter from my insurance company letting me know that I might be pushed on to Medicaid because my state expanded Medicaid starting in 2020. (I won't be, but it was nice to get the heads up.)

I've already gone through the annual income verification process and am just waiting for my daughter's mother to pick which of the four plans she thinks is best. (She's more knowledgeable and interested in insurance so I defer to her choice.)

I can't really tell what prices did from last year to this year, since I had several significant changes in 2019. One of my kids became a tax dependent again because he went back to college. Another one went on the school health insurance plan and therefore went off my plan. Also I changed my reported income. All that being said, the prices appear to be in the same ballpark as this year.

The one oddity for me this year was that my insurance company couldn't quote me 2020 prices even though their plans are available with prices on the state exchange. I asked a CSR about this and he understood my surprise but had to toe the company line that they didn't have that information available in house yet. Maybe the rates were just approved recently.

 

[MBSC]

I live in a state that uses the federal exchange and can view 2020 plans on Healthsherpa.com.

 

[VanWinkle]

Lucky you. I figure 2020 is safe for now with all the subsidies intact. Then 4 more years for me.
We shall see.

Wishing you good luck for 4 more years of subsidies!!


VW

 

[Sue J]

I live in a state that uses the federal exchange and can view 2020 plans on Healthsherpa.com.

Ahh! Thanks for that. I have been checking on Healthcare.gov for them to post their plan previews and theirs aren't shown yet. Last year the preview was posted on Oct. 26. I forgot about Health Sherpa.

Using Health Sherpa and various incomes, I found that the cliff for income for a household of two is $67,640. Subsidy at $67,640 and then nothing at $67,641. Just FYI.

We both turn 65 in 2020. I need ACA insurance for January, only. DH will be using ACA for Jan, Feb and March.

I got my official MEDICARE CARD in the mail already! And plenty of mail about all the Medicare Advantage plans being offered.

 

[SecondCor521]

Using Health Sherpa and various incomes, I found that the cliff for income for a household of two is $67,640. Subsidy at $67,640 and then nothing at $67,641. Just FYI.

The ACA cliff depends on family size and location and calendar year. The $67,640 number is correct for a family size of 2 living in the lower 48 for 2020.

For the general number, you can go here:

https://thefinancebuff.com/federal-poverty-levels-for-obamacare.html

to get the FPL for your situation, then multiply by 4 to get the income cliff (since it's at 400% of FPL).

There are other websites that give this information, but the above is the clearest one I've found, since there are some off-by-one things having to do with which FPL year is used for which ACA year that I can never keep straight.

 

[CaptainO]

I was just going to ask about that subsidy cliff. On some sites, including healthcare.gov, they say that the maximum income level for a family of two is $67,640, but then when I put in more detailed information, the maximum income I can have is $65,840. One dollar more and there is no subsidy. Can anyone explain the contradiction?

 

[N02L84ER]

I was just going to ask about that subsidy cliff. On some sites, including healthcare.gov, they say that the maximum income level for a family of two is $67,640, but then when I put in more detailed information, the maximum income I can have is $65,840. One dollar more and there is no subsidy. Can anyone explain the contradiction?

2019 vs 2020 cliffs

 

[CaptainO]

There's an $1800 increase in the cliff? Oh, that's good news. I was planning on cutting it real close next year, this will be a big help!

 

[zinger1457]

There's an $1800 increase in the cliff? Oh, that's good news. I was planning on cutting it real close next year, this will be a big help!

That would be the increase in 2020 for two people in the household, it would be less if single ($1400) more if >2.

 

[Eucerin]

See that you all proactive in this important matter, I am helpless as my state exchange hasn't posted coverages and insurance premiums yet.
I would like to do a comparison on various coverages and subsidies before sign up. Still waiting but not patiently

 

[Splash]

Wow, what a difference a year makes!

In 2019, there was only 1 provider with 5 plans in my area. For 2020, there are 4 providers with a total of 24 plans (all EPO or HMO). Premium rates are down 10%, however, subsidies are down 30% so looks like a net 20% increase for me. Not complaining, just stating facts. Given my pre-existing condition, I'm grateful to have access to health insurance.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

HealthSherpa.com has my Pennsylvania county's data loaded today. There are still 2 providers and about the same number of plans as last year. My comparable Gold plan, which I will likely stay with, has gone up by about $30 per month. My subsidy has also risen slightly. Net increase will be about $20 per month + $100 higher deductible (which I never came close to meeting last year) and + $100 higher out-of-pocket max. All things considered... I'm happy that things remain pretty much the same as last year.

Back to the OPs original inquiry, I have not received either of the 2 letters we are supposed to receive yet -- one from Healthcare.gov and one from my current insurance provider.

 

[orchid55]

I'm in Georgia and we just received our letter from Anthem BCBS. Our premium will go up from $1465 a month to $1680 a month and the deductible/max-out-of-pocket will go up by $150 per person. This is a Bronze HSA plan and is an HMO not a PPO. Checking on Health Sherpa finds Bronze HSAs from two other companies priced at $1751 and $2144 per month respectively. We do not get an upfront subsidy as my husband is self-employed.

 

[MRG]

Broker sent me an email wanting to schedule a discussion after Nov 1. We are supposed to see a big reduction(18%+) of price this year. Be interested to see if there are any new players.

 

[Car-Guy]

I'm on Medicare but the DW is still on my old insurance program from my past employer. This week, I got my annual enrollment and program update booklet. Rates only go up $5 next year for our Platinum medical/dental/drug plans... That's not so bad...

HOWEVER, I noticed one major change. Effective next year we must begin buying all our maintenance drugs from either Walgreens or CVS or an authorized online pharmacy. (Maintenance drugs = any drugs needed to be taken for more than 90 days.) If we fill any maintenance prescriptions at our local small town pharmacy, it will be 100% out of pocket. They will still cover short term drug needs from our local pharmacy (e.g. antibiotics, Tamaflu, etc) but that's not much in our case. Maybe 10% of our drug needs.

The nearest Walgreens and/or CVS is 50 miles away (= 100 mile round trip) I called my insurance company to talk to them about it but they basically said, that's the way it will be.

If all the drug insurance companies start doing this, I'm afraid it won't be long before the smaller "mom and pop" pharmacies will be run out of business.

 

[Eucerin]

A different question but also ACA related.
My son who is 24 yr old, works for a company as a consultant which means he doesn't eligible for any benefits of the company that including health insurance. However the job agency that helped him found this consultant job is offering health insurance but very expensive.
Can he still be under my coverage given the fact that he is offered health insurance but deciding not to take it?

 

[MichaelB]

A different question but also ACA related.
My son who is 24 yr old, works for a company as a consultant which means he doesn't eligible for any benefits of the company that including health insurance. However the job agency that helped him found this consultant job is offering health insurance but very expensive.
Can he still be under my coverage given the fact that he is offered health insurance but deciding not to take it?

Yes. See here https://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/about-the-aca/young-adult-coverage/index.html

 

[jetpack]

looks like the first time my rate will decline.