Tag: ACA

Your Apple Health: What you need to know about the Public Health Emergency

Posted on by Nicol Walsh

A Brief Overview

  • Changes to Medicaid after the Public Health Emergency
  • What to do to keep personal/family information current
  • Find out what might change with your current coverage

Full Article

Did you know? During the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency, WA State changed some rules about Apple Health (Medicaid). If you or a family member had Medicaid for health insurance, you did not have to renew every year. If you paid a premium for Medicaid health insurance, premium payments stopped during the Public Health Emergency. Some people received temporary health insurance coverage if they qualified for other benefits.

The PHE ended March 31, 2023, and now:

  • Beginning April 2023, you must renew your Apple Health/Medicaid insurance
  • If you usually paid a premium, premiums are starting up again
  • You may need a new eligibility review

If you do not renew, do not complete a required eligibility review or if you do not pay a premium when it is due, you may lose your health insurance coverage for you or your family member.

What to do:

  • Update your contact information with your insurance provider so your provider can send you important information about renewal, eligibility reviews and premiums
  • Renew your insurance when your provider tells you
  • Premiums for certain Apple Health/Medicaid insurance plans are starting again (Apple Health for Kids with premiums/Children’s Health Insurance Program, Apple Health for Workers with Disabilities (HWD). Watch your mail or email for notices or premium bills from your provider

If you are on one of these Apple Health/Medicaid plans, call:

  • Amerigroup: 1-800-600-4441
  • Community Health Plan of Washington: 1-800-440-1561
  • Coordinated Care: 1-877-644-4613
  • Molina:1-800-869-7165
  • UnitedHealthcare: 1-877-542-8997

If you usually get notices from WA State Health Care Authority email askmedicaid@hca.wa.gov with your name, date of birth, and updated contact information.

If you usually get notices from Washington Healthplanfinder:

  • Log in to your Washington Healthplanfinder account at wahealthplanfinder.org
  • Call Washington Healthplanfinder at 1-855-923-4633

If you are age 65 and older, have blindness or a disability, get Medicare, and get healthcare coverage through Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS):

  • Update contact information at waconnection.org or call 1-877-501-2233 or
  • Visit your local Community Service Office

References:

 Washington State Health Care Authority End of the Public Health Emergency Communications Toolkit

Apple health updates For more information: go to wapave.org and type the words Apple Health in the search bar.

Health Insurance: How a Change in Federal Policy Might Impact Your Family

Posted on by Nicol Walsh

Families with insurance from the Health Insurance Exchange that was established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) may be eligible for lower cost insurance because of a rule that changed just in time for the Open Enrollment period that started November 1, 2022.

Open Enrollment ends January 15, 2023. Note that for new coverages to begin on January 1, enrollment must be completed by December 15.

The rule change corrects a problem called the “family glitch,” which created a financial burden for an employee trying to ensure a whole family, not just themselves. The new rule will expand access to affordable coverage for families by using the premium for family coverage ― rather than employee-only coverage ― to determine eligibility for premium tax credits (PTCs). If a person does not have any offer of employer insurance that meets standards for affordability and adequacy, based on calculations that consider the family’s financial picture, they may now be eligible for PTCs to purchase coverage through the marketplace.

In Washington State, information about health insurance plan options is provided at wahealthplanfinder.org. The website supports language access, including sign language, and provides cultural navigators that understand the Indian Health System as well as Medicaid.

For healthcare navigation help by phone, call 1-855-923-4633.

Washington’s Health Plan Finder is also where individuals can sign up for or renew their Apple Health coverage. Washington State is a Medicaid expansion state and provides Medicaid options for a larger portion of adults and children based on income. The state provides an Eligibility Overview for 2022, with information about monthly income limits for families.

Another place for information and help to understand insurance options is parenthelp123, which has navigators who speak English and Spanish: Call 1.800.322.2588.

More information about the “family glitch” legislation can be found at the Center on Budget and Policy or the Common Wealth Fund.