Hoping That Insurance Expansion Will Help Tamp Outbreak, 9 States Reopen Marketplaces
KFF Health News March 20, 2020
At least nine states are offering their uninsured residents another opportunity to sign up for a health plan this year as they seek new ways to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The states have reopened their health insurance exchanges this month to help ease consumers’ concerns about the cost of health care so that the sick will not be deterred from seeking medical attention and inadvertently spread the virus.
Generally, consumers who buy their own insurance must purchase a policy during the regular open enrollment period in the fall. If they do not buy a plan and do not qualify for a special enrollment period, they cannot obtain health insurance from the exchange until the next open enrollment.
The states...