Should people have to choose between their health and their financial well-being? It may seem an odd question, but that was the case for far too many American individuals and families before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law.
“It’s easy to forget what the world of health insurance was like before we had the ACA,” Pennsylvania Acting Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman said, before noting some of the deficiencies of the pre-ACA health insurance market, such as denying coverage based on preexisting conditions, and annual and lifetime limits.
So when the present administration announced it would be cutting the ACA open enrollment period and its advertising budget, Altman knew she had to act.
Together with Governor Tom Wolf, Altman enlisted the help of various stakeholders—consumer advocacy groups, hospitals, elected officials, insurance companies and more—to spread the word through a coordinated media campaign. The result? Close to 400,000 Pennsylvanians enrolled through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
“Given all the constraints, all the changes around health care … that was a great success to continue to have many people covered,” Altman said during a recent interview.
The campaign served to dispel many misconceptions about the ACA. For one, the ACA was not repealed: It remains the law of the land. And while Congress nullified the mandate that requires individuals to buy insurance if they can afford it or risk a tax penalty, the repeal of the penalty doesn’t take effect until 2019.
However, the importance of having health insurance does not rest in the mandate. Altman sees two main reasons for anyone to have insurance. First, it covers what you know you need (think checkups, vaccines, and other preventive services). The other reason is that it covers unanticipated events, providing critical protection that ensures you get the necessary care and can afford it.
Altman, with the help of stakeholders, spread this message throughout Pennsylvania as part of the campaign to increase awareness of the open enrollment period. There were TV, radio, and online advertisements, and events across the state. The insurance department even partnered with PennDOT and other sister agencies to draw attention to open enrollment. She specifically noted the role the state’s hospitals played in the campaign’s success.
“Pennsylvania’s hospitals have really been one of the groups that have stepped up to the plate and been a great partner in this effort to make sure that people get enrolled and are aware of enrollment,” Altman said, noting that hospitals across the state partnered with navigators, unbiased individuals and organizations trained to assist consumers.
For more information about open enrollment for health insurance, visit insurance.pa.gov or speak to a navigator at your hospital or care provider.