ACA's Special Enrollment Period lets some people sign up now for Obamacare

medicaid not tax cuts — Supporters of Obamacare want Florida to take federal dollars to expand the state's Medicaid program to one million Floridians. By Janelle Irwin / WMNF News (2015).

There’s a special enrollment period going on now for people to sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

We found out the details on WMNF’s Tuesday Café (12 April 2022). Host Seán Kinane interviews Katie Roders Turner, the executive director of Family Healthcare Foundation.

ACA Special Enrollment Period

“The special enrollment period that are available on the health insurance marketplace, they’re some of the more common ones, like losing coverage, getting married, having a baby, changes in immigration status. All of these major life changes would allow someone to go look at the health insurance marketplace, which is the federal government’s one-stop shop to apply for subsidies, compare health insurance plans, and enroll in affordable healthcare coverage.
“But in major news, there is a brand new special enrollment period, and this is for individuals and families earning between 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level. So, for example, a single individual earning between $1000 and $1600 per month could enroll in coverage at any point within the year.
“If they currently have a plan, they could even change that coverage. And this is a pretty landmark change that allows people more opportunities to enroll in healthcare coverage.”

To speak with a navigator you can call 813-995-7005. Or you can find more information on healthcare.gov.

Some people who are losing access to Medicaid might be eligible for ACA plans

In addition, we heard about how access to Medicaid may be ending for many Floridians this year due to the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. But those people might be eligible for free or low-cost health insurance on Healthcare.gov.

A fix for Obamacare‘s “family glitch”

Last Tuesday, President Biden announced steps to protect and strengthen the Affordable Care Act by proposing a rule to fix what’s called the “family glitch.” That fix could save many families hundreds of dollars a month.

Listen to the full show here:

Dr. Olenka Pevny, art historian

Also on the show, we heard WMNF’s general manager Randi Zimmerman interview Dr. Olenka Pevny. She’s a Cambridge University scholar in Ukrainian Cultural Studies and an art historian.

Dr. Olenka Pevny. Provided to WMNF with permission.

How to listen

You can listen to WMNF’s Tuesday Café every week beginning at 10:06 a.m. on 88.5 FM in the Tampa Bay area or anywhere on the WMNF Community Radio app or at wmnf.org.