Premiums Rise as ACA Open Enrollment Begins
The window for signing up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act is now open through Jan. 15, with most Texans expected to pay considerably higher premiums, The Texas Tribune reported. Federal subsidies that reduced premium rates will expire at year’s end without congressional action. The government shutdown is now entering its second month. Democrats say they will not vote to reopen the government unless the subsidies are extended. Republicans say they will not consider extending the subsidies until the government is reopened. Nearly 4 million Texans signed up for ACA coverage during the last enrollment period, a number that health experts predict will drop by a much as one million if the subsidies end. Most people who choose ACA are not able to obtain employer-sponsored insurance – the most common method – or they make too much money to qualify for Medicaid. The nonprofit health policy group KFF projects Texans who now receive the ACA subsidies will see their premiums rise by 115%, or $456 a year, if they are not extended.
