2022 Open Enrollment

Special Considerations for 2022 Plan Year

As you approach open enrollment this year, it is more crucial than ever that you carefully research your options.

• A federal law enacted in March 2021 makes ACA insurance more affordable for those who buy their own coverage in 2022. Under the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, premium subsidies for 2021 and 2022 are more generous and are available to more people (even those who previously earned too much to qualify!), reducing the cost of coverage for people who buy ACA insurance. These subsidies are only available with respect to plans sold on the ACA Marketplaces.
• BEWARE of “skinny” plans and insurance look-alikes that don’t provide adequate coverage: short term plans, association health plans, fixed indemnity plans, and health care sharing ministries.
  • These types of plans do NOT provide adequate coverage for people with bleeding disorders. They do NOT have to cover all ACA-mandated benefits, and they do NOT have to meet ACA financial protection standards (leaving you at risk of huge out-of-pocket costs).
  • You CANNOT get subsidies to help pay your premium costs for non-ACA plans.

    Make sure your plan meets ACA standards for coverage and financial protection, and don’t be duped by misleading sales pitches or look-alike websites. To avoid pitfalls, start your search on www.healthcare.gov.

• Try to avoid health plans that limit your ability to make use of manufacturer co-pay assistance programs. Health plans with “copay accumulator adjusters” do not credit manufacturer co-pay assistance toward your overall deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums, leaving patients on the hook for out-of-pocket costs up to their yearly maximum. Unfortunately, it can be hard to spot whether your plan contains an accumulator adjuster. Read your plan documents carefully and call plan administrators to ask specific questions. Learn more about accumulator adjusters in this recorded session from HFA’s 2020 Symposium.

A reliable resource for information on open enrollment for 2022 individual insurance plans can be found here and a detailed set of FAQs (including many in Spanish) can be found here.