Granite Staters searching for an insurance plan this year might notice a decline in monthly costs.
Monday harkens in a new open enrollment period for Affordable Care Act marketplaces. Data released from the U.S. Department of Health show that New Hampshire residents are expected to save an average of $80 a month on premiums due to expanded health care subsidies in the American Rescue Plan.
Dr. Marie-Elizabeth Ramas, family medicine physician at Lamprey Health Care, said being insured could be more important now than ever, as New Hampshire enters another surge of COVID-19, which Governor Chris Sununu said he anticipates will be worse than last year.
“We are still in the midst of dealing with our COVID crisis,” Ramas said. “If we do get sick, we want to make sure that we stay protected and we stay covered so that if you do get sick or family members or loved ones get sick, they have the means to take care of themselves.”
At a press conference Monday morning, U.S Senator Maggie Hassan encouraged even those who already have an insurance plan to weigh their options on the insurance portal, as there may be more affordable options recently added.
“The pandemic has really underscored just how important it is that all residents have meaningful access to quality affordable health care,” she said. “Many Granite Staters have faced new physical and mental health challenges during the pandemic.”
A plan-by-plan comparison tool can be found on the N.H. Insurance Department’s website, which lists a summary of each insurance plan’s benefits, covered drugs and deductibles. Granite Staters can also find more help choosing and signing up for a plan by speaking with one of ten local insurance navigators for free at 877-211-6284. Services are available in most languages and for those deaf or hard of hearing.
Navigators can help whole families decide which of the public health insurance options they are eligible. Steven Chapman, the former president of the NH Pediatric Society, said insured children are not only provided with important care in the case of an emergency but can be screened preemptively for mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
“These are all really, really important services that all kids deserve, but that they don’t get unless they have really good coverage,” Chapman said.
While searching for a plan, Elias Ashooh, the program director of Health Market Connect said that Granite Staters should consider a number of factors like where they live and what doctors they plan to see to ensure their healthcare costs are covered. There are also a variety of free preventative services that different plans offer that may make them a good fit, he added.
The enrollment period lasts until Jan. 15, 2022, after which enrollment will be limited to people undergoing certain life changes, like moving zip codes, getting married, or losing health insurance.
“I am looking forward to the day… where we can come out of this place of crisis and start focusing on flourishing again,” Ramas said. “The way that we do this first and foremost is by setting a good foundation by having good access to health care.”