Open enrollment begins today

Dear Friend, 

Today is the day! Health care open enrollment in Delaware and all 50 states begins today, which means you, your family and your friends can sign up for quality, affordable health insurance. This week, I joined my some of Democratic colleagues in the Senate to help get the word out and remind Americans across the country that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance marketplace is open for business. I also joined Senator Coons, Governor Carney and state officials to announce that Delaware’s Health Insurance Marketplace is open – with premiums declining for the first time since it first opened in 2013!

Plans, prices and financial assistance vary from year to year and state by state. In Delaware, premiums will see a whopping 19% decrease in rates compared to 2019. Why? In large part because our state announced a reinsurance program designed to help insurers pay for some of their costliest patients. This new program will help keep premiums down for everyone else in the state’s marketplace.

I believe that every family in the First State and across our country deserves access to quality, affordable health care. Despite Republicans’ endless efforts to sabotage health care for millions of Americans, the Affordable Care Act is still the law of the land.  Today, the ACA is more popular than ever. After all, more than 20 million Americans have gained health care coverage through the law. Nearly 130 million Americans living with pre-existing conditions have critical protections they didn’t have before. The law has expanded Medicaid coverage for 12.6 million more Americans and extended the life of the Medicare Trust Fund by 11 years. And this progress was made all while reducing the federal deficit by more than $1 trillion.

If you don’t get health insurance through your employer, Medicaid, Medicare or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, you can find a health care plan that works for you in the ACA marketplace onhealthcare.gov or choosehealthDE.com. Enrollment is easy, and help is standing by to discuss your coverage options. Eight out of 10 Delawareans can get insured for less than $75 a month.

If you or someone you know already has insurance, more affordable options may be available. Go online to healthcare.gov and see what cost saving alternatives you qualify for. Delawareans who need help enrolling in coverage will have access to free in-person assistance from federally funded and trained specialists at Westside Family Healthcare, and by certified applications counselors at Henrietta Johnson Medical Center in Wilmington and La Red Health Center in Georgetown.

So don’t wait! To ensure you have healthcare in 2020, register anytime from today to December 15 athealthcare.gov or choosehealthDE.com and get covered!

Tom Carper