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Health insurance in Arizona

How to enroll in the health insurance marketplace in Arizona?

Arizona follows the federally-run exchange (marketplace), which ensures that people and households are participating in insurance plans via HealthCare.gov. The exchange can be used for those who need to buy their own health insurance, including self-employed people, people that work for a small company that does not have health coverage, and people who have retired before the age of 65 and who need to purchase their own health insurance before they become eligible for Medicare.

Arizona hit the headlines in the fall of 2016, thanks to the number of insurers leaving the exchange and the large premium hikes in 2017. However, Arizona was having among the lowest premium increases in the country in 2018, with prices largely unchanged from 2017.

Arizona open enrollment period and dates?

Arizona has a federally facilitated marketplace program, so people are registered by HealthCare.gov. The open enrollment for 2021 health care contracts ran from 1 November to 15 December 2020.

This time is an opportunity for people and households to sign up for insurance care, or to update or change current policies. It’s also an incentive for those with non-exchange plans to check on the exchange to see if there could be a cheaper alternative. Exchange is now the only place where premium subsidies are valid, and for 2021 a family of four will earn as much as $104,800 and still be eligible for premium subsidies.

Enrollment in Arizona health insurance plans in the Arizona exchange has dropped by 25% since 2016

In 2016, 203,066 individuals enrolled in private coverage plans across Arizona’s health insurance market. Since then, enrolment has fallen annually, and currently, 153,020 individuals have signed up for medical care via Arizona’s exchange during the open enrolment phase for the 2020 coverage. That’s almost a 25% drop in enrolment in four years.

Do we have an expansion of Medicaid in Arizona?

Arizona Medicaid insurance is called AHCCCS, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment Scheme.

Former Gov. Brewer took a path distinct from other Republican governors and worked strongly for the extension of Medicaid in Arizona. Legislation approving expansion was enacted with some Republican votes and passed into law by Brewer in 2013.

However, the extension has repeatedly been questioned. The Arizona legislature passed SB1092 in February 2015, which allows the state to request a yearly exemption from CMS to allow new qualification restrictions for Arizona’s Medicaid – Arizona Health Care Cost Containment Scheme (AHCCCS, which is called “Access”). In March 2015, Gov. Ducey signed the bill into law.

In September 2016, the Obama admin accepted Arizona’s waiver plan but omitted the more restrictive elements of it. The updated waiver will run until September 2021. The exemption policy requires minimal payments from health savings accounts participating in Medicaid programs for income above the poverty line and enrollment in an optional (instead of mandatory) job-seeking program.

Do we have short-term health insurance in Arizona?

Arizona modified the regulations for short-term health benefits in Arizona in 2019, allowing policies to meet federal rules instead of the tighter rules that the state had originally implemented. Thus, Arizona’s short-term plans will have initial terms of up to 364 days and a total period, including renewals, of up to 3 years.

Short-term health care policies are not considered to be a minimum of critical coverage and the business model of the insurers appears to be somewhat unique from ACA-regulated health insurers. Short-term plans do not have to cover important health insurance benefits, nor cover pre-existing medical conditions that are medically underwritten.

How has Obamacare helped Arizona?

Arizona is involved in the Federally Facilitated Exchanges (HealthCare.gov) and has extended the Medicaid service under the ACA.

According to the United States. Census results, 17.1 percent of Arizona people were uninsured in 2013, which had fallen to 10.1 per cent by 2017, but it had risen to 10.6 percent by 2018. There has been a steady rise in the number of uninsured across the country under the Trump administration. 

Enrolling for Obamacare 

Although the uninsured rate of Arizona increased with Obamacare in place, it is still above the national average (8.9 percent in 2018). At Health Insurance Plans, we have been in the industry for a long time and have gained valuable information and experience about different insurance policies. Contact us today at (833) 572-0898 for more information on Open Enrollment in Arizona for whatever form of insurance package you choose.

References and Resources

• Arizona health insurance marketplace
• Open Enrollment Arizona State