In January, President Joe Biden signed an executive order to open up the federal health insurance marketplace for three months so uninsured people can buy a plan and those who want to change their marketplace coverage can do so.
That three month period started Monday and runs through May 15. The Biden administration is promising to spend $50 million on outreach and education to get the word out about the new special enrollment period.
Biden’s action is intended to address the rising number of people who have lost their health insurance related to COVID-19.
“Healthcare is a right, not a privilege,” Biden said in a statement on Monday. “And I will do everything in my power to ensure that all Americans have access to the quality, affordable healthcare they deserve.”
“That is especially critical in the midst of a deadly pandemic that has already taken the lives of more than 470,000 of our fellow Americans and infected more than one out of every 12 additional Americans, often with devastating consequences to their health.”
The new enrollment period, which addresses part of Biden’s campaign promise to strengthen the ACA, also known as Obamacare, is available through the federal healthcare exchange at HealthCare.gov.
Great news: Thanks to President Biden, starting today, you can go to https://t.co/ob1Ynoesod to sign up for health insurance. If you’re uninsured or hoping to change plans, here’s a good article that can help you figure out if you’re eligible. https://t.co/E2hibv2vRH
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) February 15, 2021