Analysis, Commentary

Analysis Breaks Down Low-Cost Options on HealthCare.gov Marketplace


Washington, D.C. —(ENEWSPF)—November 2, 2017

By: Emily Gee

ACA Open Enrollment
A health network patient navigator, center, helps a man with documents during an Affordable Care Act enrollment event at a library in Texas, February 2015. AP/LM Otero

The Center for American Progress finds that the average marketplace consumer shopping on the HealthCare.gov website will be able to choose among multiple issuers and about 26 different plans, despite President Donald Trump’s misleading claims that the Affordable Care Act is failing. About 10 million consumers are enrolled in marketplace plans, and many who return to shop for 2018 will find that premiums are lower than ever before.

Open enrollment began on November 1, 2017, and runs through December 15, 2017.

CAP’s column examines marketplace premiums in the 39 states that use HealthCare.gov for the lowest-price bronze, silver, and gold plans for a single person, a couple, and a family after applying premium tax credits. CAP analysis revealed hundreds of scenarios in which consumers would be able to obtain bronze, silver, or gold coverage for $0, options that were not as widely available at that price in 2017.

“Many consumers buying coverage on HealthCare.gov have more options will be able to find plans at lower than ever before, despite efforts by President Trump to derail the ACA. With careful shopping, some subsidized consumers may even have options for coverage that cost them just pennies or are even free,” said Emily Gee, health economist at CAP.

Many consumers will be able to find plans for as little as $20, $10, or even $0. For example:

  • A single 27-year-old making $25,000 can obtain coverage for less than $20 in more than half of counties.
  • A typical family of four with an income of $60,000 can get covered for $0 in 54 percent of counties and for less than $10 per month total in 66 percent of counties.
  • A 55-year-old couple with a combined income of $40,000 has a $0 option in 64 percent of markets and an option costing less than $10 in 85 percent of markets.

Click here to read “Health Insurance Marketplaces Offer More Low-Cost Options than Ever Before” by Emily Gee.

Source: www.americanprogress.org


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