Don’t Block My Access to Health Care

Every year, the federal government issues new rules for healthcare.gov and state marketplaces. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration’s proposal this year would weaken health care coverage and access, and might make it harder for you to get the care you need! Your voice matters. You can let the Administration know how you feel about these proposals. Submit your comments today! Comments are due by March 2, 2020. Not sure what comments do? Learn more!

Issue #1 - Increased Co-Pays and Deductibles

The high cost of prescription drugs hits lower-income people the hardest. That is why many patients rely on manufacturer’s coupons to help them with their co-pays. Coupons help people afford their share of the cost of prescription drugs, which can be as much as half of the manufacturer’s price.

Health insurance companies and the Administration want to make it more costly for patients who use coupons. The Administration would let health insurance companies keep the coupons but NOT count them (or other co-pay assistance) toward someone’s deductible and out-of-pocket maximum, even where there is no cheaper generic alternative. That means that consumers would pay more for their medicine out of their own pockets, and it would take longer to meet their deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. People who need more expensive drugs may be faced with a bill for thousands of dollars to get the medicine they need when their coupons run out.

If this would affect you or people you know, you should let the Administration why you do not like this proposal.

Issue #2 - No Auto-Reenrollment if Your Premium is $0

The proposed rule would slash premium tax credits for certain Marketplace enrollees unless they meet new paperwork requirements. Right now, healthcare.gov automatically continues people’s health plan and premium tax credits from one year to the next when they take no action to renew their coverage or subsidies. This helps people maintain their coverage at an affordable price. Under the Administration’s proposal, this “automatic re-enrollment" would end for people enrolled in plans that cost less than the amount of their tax credit. Instead, these people would continue their coverage but without any premium tax credit at all. (Under a variation the Administration is considering, these people would lose some but not all of their premium tax credit.)

The Administration wants to use the sticker shock of a large premium bill to prod people to return to healthcare.gov to update their financial information. But that sticker shock would likely cause many people to go without coverage at all.  It also would likely raise overall premiums, because healthier people are those least likely to take the actions required to keep their coverage.

Many people do not know they should update their information during open enrollment. And they may not renew their plan if they get a bill for the full amount, even if they could get a refund when they file their federal income taxes. If this would affect you or people you know, you should let the Administration why you do not like this proposal.

The more you know:

• 1.8 million people were automatically reenrolled for 2019 coverage
• 270,000 people were automatically reenrolled with $0 premiums for 2019 coverage

This comment portal is a collaboration between:

Submit Your Comments Today! Make Your Voice Heard!

Use the form below to submit a comment to the Department of Health and Human Services to tell them why you oppose the new rule and share your story. 

Not sure what to say? Here are some tip for comments

• Briefly introduce yourself (‘My name is ______ and I am against this proposed rule”)
• State why you oppose the new rule and why it is important to you that you and others can get and keep health insurance. For example, you can say something like:
  • “I am against this proposed rule because it will make it harder for individuals to reenroll in low-cost health insurance” or 
  • “I am against this proposed rule because it will cost me more to get the prescription medicine I need.”
• Share a time you or a loved one had trouble paying for prescription medicine or enrolling in health insurance. Your story matters!

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