Insurers Say Costs Are Climbing as More Enroll Past Health Act Deadline

The Obama administration has allowed large numbers of people to sign up for insurance after the deadlines in the last two years, destabilizing insurance markets and driving up premiums, health insurance companies say.

News Story (NATIONAL)

Robert Pear
New York Times (NYT)
January 9, 2016
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Tags: Health Care

Organizations mentioned/involved: Vermont Legal Aid (VLA)

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DETAILS

Consumer advocates said they had not seen evidence of abuse.

“Most consumers are confused by the rules on special enrollment periods and do not understand the system well enough to try to game it,” said Christine Speidel, a lawyer at Vermont Legal Aid. On the other hand, she said, “many people feel that insurance is not affordable, even with subsidies, and they will call the marketplace to see if they qualify for insurance when they get sick.”

Moreover, consumer advocates said, the government is partly responsible for the proliferation of special enrollment periods.