Access Health extends its enrollment deadline to Jan. 15

HARTFORD — Saturday was supposed to be the last day to purchase health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act, but according to an internal memo sent to brokers by Access Health CT, Connecticut is extending the deadline to Jan. 15.

The deadline for Connecticut residents to enroll was originally midnight Saturday, but officials with the state health insurance exchange are discovering lower enrollment and more sticker shock this year. The memo to brokers that was obtained by CTNewsJunkie Saturday morning states: “Q: Is Access Health CT promoting (advertising) this extension actively? A: There will be an official announcement to the media on 12/17, after that time, we will be contacting customers directly (email, direct mail, text, etc.) but we will not invest in media efforts.”

Access Health CT sent a news release Saturday at 1 p.m. confirming the decision to extend the deadline

Access Health CT has spent about $4 million in its marketing efforts this year, which is similar to amounts they’ve spent in past years.

Consumers will have an additional month to choose plans as they experience bigger increases in monthly premiums even though the increases approved by insurance regulators were lower.

“The average rate filings this year were lower than they have been before, but changes to plan options and subsidies have made some plan premiums go up this year,” the internal broker Access Health CT memo announcing the deadline extension states.

Access Health CT reported Friday that 102,412 residents had completed the enrollment process for 2019 or renewed their 2018 plans. That’s down from the 114,000 residents at the end of open enrollment last year.

The enrollment extension means anyone who signed up for coverage by midnight Saturday will have coverage starting on Jan. 1, 2019. Anyone who signs up after that date but before Jan. 15 will have coverage starting Feb. 1, 2019.