January 20, 2023
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace (OHIM) announced today that during the Open Enrollment Period for 2023 coverage, which ran from November 1, 2022, through January 15, 2023, 63,388 Maine people selected affordable health insurance plans at CoverME.gov, Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace. Among Maine consumers who selected plans, 10,168 were new consumers who were not enrolled in Marketplace insurance prior to open enrollment. This is in line with expectations for this open enrollment period.
83 percent of consumers who enrolled in coverage through CoverME.gov during Open Enrollment received financial assistance to make their premium more affordable, and over 10,000 Mainers were able to find a monthly premium under $10.
CoverME.gov launched in 2021 as a fully state-based marketplace, making this the second open enrollment period since Maine transitioned from a hybrid state-federal model in 2020.
This year, Maine people benefited from an extension of additional federal financial assistance to lower the cost of their insurance plans included in the Inflation Reduction Act. In addition, a new federal rule fixing the so-called “family glitch” meant that more family members of Maine workers offered unaffordable job-based insurance were eligible for financial assistance through CoverME.gov in 2023. This rule change opened new opportunities for Maine residents to receive affordable coverage.
OHIM ran a statewide marketing and outreach campaign, targeted to the people and communities of Maine. This outreach included partnerships with local sports teams, advertising on gas station displays and public buses, and a digital marketing campaign, among other activities.
Now that the Open Enrollment Period has ended, only those experiencing qualifying life events, such as loss of coverage, pregnancy, adoption, or becoming a Maine resident can qualify for a Special Enrollment Period to choose a plan through CoverME.gov, until the next Open Enrollment Period for 2024 in the fall. More information and a full list of qualifying life events can be found on the Special Enrollment Period section of CoverME.gov. People who are eligible for MaineCare or Cub Care may enroll at any time of the year.
Maine’s greater control of its marketplace, paired with Medicaid expansion, contributed to the state having the largest decline in its uninsured rate among all states in the nation in recent years.