State: No 2020 cost rise for most NY State of Health enrollees

“There will be no cost increase for nearly all” 2020 enrollees in NY State of Health, New York State’s health-plan marketplace, state officials say.

That includes consumers enrolling in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, Essential Plan, as well as those enrolling in qualified health plans who receive tax credits, according to an Oct. 31 news release from the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Consumers who receive premium tax credits will see no change, or in some cases a small decrease, in the cost of coverage compared to 2019. 

Consumers must enroll or renew by Dec. 15 for coverage effective Jan. 1, 2020. Enrollment in the Essential Plan, Medicaid, and Child Health Plus plans is open all year.

The open-enrollment period for New Yorkers who want health-insurance coverage in 2020 through NY State of Health is underway. Open enrollment for qualified health plans started Nov. 1 and will continue through Jan. 31, 2020. New enrollees were able to start applying for coverage on Nov. 1. Current enrollees may begin renewing coverage on Nov. 16, Cuomo’s office added. 

The marketplace offers a choice of health plans across all marketplace programs in every county of the state, with free in-person assistance available to help consumers shop for and enroll in plans that fit their needs.

In New York, the number of uninsured people has been reduced by 1.2 million since 2010, including 1 million since the NY State of Health marketplace opened in 2013. More than 4.8 million people are currently enrolled in coverage through NY State of Health, Cuomo’s office said. 

“As we begin our seventh open enrollment period, New York remains more committed than ever to getting New Yorkers covered,” Donna Frescatore, executive director of NY State of Health (nystateofhealth.ny.gov), contended in the release. “We are proud of our success lowering the state’s uninsured rate and will work to help more New Yorkers gain access to the affordable health care they deserve in 2020.”