Biden administration announces regulatory action to strengthen the ACA and keep residents insured
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Blaire Bryant
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Key Takeaways
On April 5, the Biden administration announced regulatory action to increase health care affordability for families seeking coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and reduce the number of uninsured Americans. The proposed rule to eliminate the family glitch is estimated to provide coverage to an additional 200,000 individuals, with one million individuals gaining access to more affordable coverage.
Through the ACA marketplace, individuals can purchase affordable health insurance with subsidies if employer-sponsored health plans are deemed too expensive. However, when accessing coverage for an entire family, the ACA only considers the primary beneficiary’s cost to insure themselves, resulting in the family glitch, making some families ineligible for subsidies.
Despite being extended through mid-July, it is anticipated that the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) will result in millions of individuals losing access to Medicaid and will need to gain coverage through the ACA marketplace. This proposed action to strengthen the ACA will help individuals transitioning off Medicaid obtain affordable health care coverage on the marketplace, therefore lessening the number of uninsured individuals in counties.
The administration also directed federal agencies to enhance their actions to expand access to health care coverage and lower costs by reducing barriers to enrollment, ensuring consistent access to coverage, improving and expanding benefits and enhancing program eligibility for those enrolled in coverage through the ACA, Medicare or Medicaid.
Counties applaud the administration’s actions to strengthen our nation’s health system through improved access to high-quality, affordable health care coverage for all residents, while being responsible stewards of local taxpayer dollars.
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