New enrollment window opens for health insurance shoppers

Health insurance shoppers stuck in a bad plan or unable to find coverage have a new option for help.

A sign-up window opened Monday for government insurance markets and runs through May 15 in most states. It’s available for people who don’t have coverage through work, and it is expected to make finding a plan less of a hassle for those who lost a job.

President Joe Biden last month ordered government health insurance markets that ended their annual enrollment periods in December to reopen. The Affordable Care Act created state-based insurance markets for people to buy individual coverage either for themselves or their family.

Biden’s order applies to 36 insurance markets run through the federal government’s platform. But nearly all states that run their own marketplaces will offer a similar extended window through May.

This new window could be useful for people who recently lost their coverage or couldn’t find a plan last year. Experts have said the number of uninsured people has risen during the pandemic due to layoffs.

People who don’t have coverage but recently developed a health problem and want better access to care could also use this opportunity. “Anybody who doesn’t have coverage or isn’t happy with their coverage should be looking at the marketplace during this extended enrollment period,” said Karen Pollitz, an insurance expert with the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation.

Any coverage purchased will start on the first day of the following month.

People can get help from the government to buy coverage in these marketplaces, depending on their income.

Those who make between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for assistance with premium payments in the form of tax credits. This year, the high end of that range amounts to $106,000 for a family of four.