Millions are losing their health insurance because of the great Medicaid 'unwinding'

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a Marketplace Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for qualified individuals and their families who are losing Medicaid coverage due to the end of the continuous enrollment condition — also known as “Unwinding.”

What does this mean for you? If you or your children are on state funded Medicaid or CHIP, it may be ending soon. During the pandemic, states were given extra funding to keep families on Medicaid and CHIP. This extra funding is ending in the next 12 months. By the end of March, states are required to send out letters explaining that your coverage with Medicaid may be ending. So watch the mail for a letter from CMS or Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services about your coverage.

Good news, you still have options for great health insurance. If you are losing Medicaid or CHIP, you can apply for a new plan on the Marketplace. Most families qualify for lower premiums and lower deductibles and copays.

More than half of our clients pay LESS than $10 per month for the entire family! Plus, all families can qualify for $0 deductible plans on the Marketplace.

These plans function just like your workplace health plans, They cover your preventative care for free like immunizations and check ups, cover prescriptions, and will cover any pre-existing conditions. No one can get denied for Marketplace coverage. The only difference is, that instead of your employer paying for a portion of your health insurance premium, you get lower premiums based on your household size, income, age and zip code. One benefit of Marketplace health plans over Medicaid is they have a much bigger network of doctors to choose from. This makes it much easier to set appointments with the type of doctors you need now.

You can apply for coverage on the Marketplace up to 60 days before your Medicaid ends. To find out what options you qualify for, a local agent at Utah Avenue Insurance can help you. Call or text us at 801-609-8699, or schedule an appointment through the link below.

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What should you do if you aren't sure whether your Medicaid or CHIP is ending? You can find contact information for your state Medicaid or CHIP agency with this link.

FAQ about Marketplace Health Insurance

Do I qualify for Marketplace health insurance if I am offered health insurance at work? Most of the time, yes. For families, taking the group health insurance plan option is very expensive. As long as the group health plan is too expensive, they your family can qualify for lower premiums on the Marketplace. Talk to one of our local agents to see if your group plan is too expensive so you can start saving on health insurance now. Get a quote
Does it cost anything to use an agent? No. Our help is always free. You will never have to pay us anything to help you with your health insurance.
I've been told I make too much to qualify for Marketplace plans. Do I qualify? The government goes off of Adjusted Gross Income or AGI. For most people, it's low enough to qualify for lower premiums on the Marketplace. Plus, there is no cap on income anymore. It's all based off of a percentage of your AGI, so those with higher incomes can now qualify for lower premiums. Be sure to only include the right kind of incomes. Our local agents can help you figure out what income to count so that you're not paying too much for health insurance.
Do I have to wait for open enrollment to enroll on a plan? No, because of the Medicaid Unwinding, most families can get on a health plan that will start the first of the next month.
Do I qualify if I'm not a citizen or resident of the United States? Yes you do. There are dozens of documents that you can use to qualify for Marketplace insurance and get the health insurance you need. Contact our local agents to see if your documentation is valid.
How much does Marketplace health insurance cost? Over half of our clients are paying less than $10 per month for the whole family. Your premium will be based on your age, zip code, household size and income. Contact our local agents. We can usually get a quote within 30 minutes.

If you have Medicaid that has been extended throughout the pandemic and are worried about if you are losing your health plan, please contact us. You still have great options to get an affordable health insurance plan in place.

About Utah Avenue Insurance

Utah Avenue Insurance is your local health insurance agency. Our agents are here to help you with all your health insurance questions. Utah Avenue can help you with marketplace (aka Obamacare) plans, private health insurance and Medicare plans. If you have questions about how your medical insurance plans work or need help enrolling in a plan, we can help you. As always, our service is free to you.