Gov. Terry McAuliffe
Open enrollment begins today on the federal health insurance marketplace, where Virginians can go to buy health insurance policies through Feb. 15.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who has long advocated for a health insurance marketplace specifically for Virginia but has been stymied by Republicans in the General Assembly, announced Thursday a goal of enrolling up to 160,000 citizens in health insurance coverage through the federal marketplace.
To reach that goal, he is directing citizens to Cover Virginia, a state-run website where citizens can learn about various health assistance programs like Medicaid and Family Access to Medical Insurance Security, a health insurance program for children. The site also directs users to the federal marketplace to shop for coverage.
The federal marketplace, a key component of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act more commonly known as Obamacare, opened for the first time last year. According to figures from McAuliffe’s office, 216,000 Virginians purchased health insurance through the federal marketplace during that first round of sales.
Though Virginia does not have a state marketplace, Chamber Solutions, a company owned by several chambers of commerce across the state — including the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance — is working to open a private marketplace for individuals and small businesses.
Chamber Solutions CEO Kenn Penn said Friday the private marketplace, called Virginia Benefits, is slated to open by Dec. 1.
To get the word out about enrollment, the administration is using a $4.3 million federal grant to purchase radio, bus and Internet ads starting in December. A television campaign encouraging citizens to seek coverage will start in January.
Virginia has also received a $9.3 million federal grant to hire counselors to assist citizens in signing up for coverage on the federal marketplace. A website has been created to link citizens with the counselors.
Quality and affordable health care is a basic necessity for healthy families and a strong economy,” McAuliffe said in a news release. “I want to make sure all Virginians who want help can get the in-person assistance they need to choose the right plans for themselves and their families.”
A major component of Obamacare is opening Medicaid — a program providing health care for those with a low income — to more people. Republicans in the General Assembly have not allowed legislation authorizing the expansion to pass, and as a result, low-income individuals in Virginia are not eligible to apply for any of the affordability programs on the federal marketplace.
Despite the lack of Medicaid expansion in Virginia, some tax credits are available on the federal marketplace for low-income citizens. The McAuliffe administration estimates there are 300,000 uninsured Virginians who are eligible for the credits.
Those tax credits are the subject of a court case scheduled to be argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals in December. An earlier decision from the court said only people in states with state-run marketplaces are eligible for the credits.
Mark Herring, Virginia’s attorney general, joined with representatives from 17 other states to file a brief with the court arguing the credits should remain in place for citizens in all 50 states.
“We’re talking about reducing monthly premiums from $758 to $280 for a family of four with an income of $50,000,” Herring said in a news release. “That’s the difference between affordable health care and no health care for many families. Just because Virginia didn’t set up its own exchange doesn’t mean our people should suffer because of a lawsuit that’s trying to score political points.”
A similar case was accepted by the Supreme Court of the United States earlier this month, with a decision likely by summer 2015. According to estimates from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, up to $1.02 billion in tax credit assistance to Virginians will be wiped out if the court rules the credits are only available to citizens using state-run marketplaces.