When the Coronavirus (COVID-19) first began to impact the US, our main objective was to support our clients with flexible technology solutions that allowed for easy implementation of special enrollment periods while keeping our employees safe. Together, we helped more than 250,000 Americans enroll in a health insurance plan in the initial months of the pandemic.
Today, COVID-19 shows little sign of letting up and many across the country remain uninsured. As we move into the 2021 enrollment period, GetInsured continues to explore innovative ways to help states respond to the ongoing crisis to enroll more consumers now and in the future.
State Response
Helping states with their pandemic responses
SEPs were quickly enabled after each state’s policy decision to move forward with an exceptional circumstance enrollment period.
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NV, MN, and CA launched Exceptional Circumstance SEPs
- Mobilized remote call center
- Launched the Pennsylvania call center
- Employees were both hired and trained remotely
- Additional Nevada call center employees were hired and trained remotely
Enabling Flexibility through State Exchanges
In the last few years, we have seen a number of states moving their health exchanges off of the Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM) and setting up their own state-based exchange. There are many arguments that can be made for such a transition, but perhaps none as timely as having the ability to pursue a state’s own policy goals, without the restrictions of the federal platform. Operating on the FFM is limiting from both the financial and policy perspective. We are here to support each state’s desire to take back control of their health insurance markets.
Employee Response
- Enabled work from home with flexible schedules for those with small children or other pandemic-time needs
- Expanded technology (wording from Maximus but something to this effect – that we suited everyone up as needed)
- Regular weekly check-ins to answer employee questions and concerns
- Launched an internal weekly newsletter as another touchpoint to keep employees informed + introduce new hires
- Mental Health workshops
- Regular deep sanitation of office with limited occupancy
- FFCRA to accommodate for those that have been impacted by COVID
Community
- The COVID-19 pandemic has put millions of people out of work and is affecting communities across the globe. Our offices in the U.S. and India reside in two heavily impacted countries, and we all wanted to find a way to help.
- In August, GetInsured began making regular donations to the California-based Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula. Contributions have gone towards:
- Keeping students “in the game.” The Fall 2020 program is currently serving an average of 927 students per week.
- Providing free meals for the entire BGCP community, not just BGCP students and families. BGCP has also partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank to distribute fresh produce and non-perishable items to local families in need. They are now serving 9,000 meals a week.
- In September, our India office started an ongoing exclusive meals distribution program named #FuelWithFood – Zeroing Hunger. Overall, the Company served 12,000 meals in September (400 meals per day) in Mumbai. Going forward, GetInsured in conjunction with partner Xoriant, will be providing 600 meals per day towards this cause.
More on Covid-19
The Latest COVID Public Health Emergency (PHE) Extension
Ever since the Public Health Emergency (PHE) was extended for the ninth time – to July 15th – there was growing speculation that the Biden Administration would not extend the PHE past the July 15th
Millions More ACA Exchange Enrollees Could Be On the Horizon
President Biden and Congressional Democrats campaigned on improving and building on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the President and Democratic Congressional Leaders did just that through the enactment of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) back in March
Pennsylvanians, Nevadans, and Washingtonians to enroll in a health insurance plan before August 15
Consumers who shop for health insurance on HealthCare.gov, as well as residents of the states of Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Washington, have roughly two weeks left to enroll in a plan under the COVID-19 special enrollment period, which ends on August
Medical Debt Relief in the Year of COVID-19
At GetInsured we care deeply that health insurance should be affordable and accessible for all. We believe that families shouldn’t suffer the financial ramifications of choosing an unsuitable plan because they found insurance jargon to
FFM States Request Extended Open Enrollment Period due to COVID-19 Impact
Earlier this year when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the U.S., many states operating on the Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM), including New Jersey and Pennsylvania, urged the federal government to open a Special Enrollment Period
COVID-19 Health Insurance Enrollment as it Stands Today
There have been quite a few theories and projections on what direction the health insurance market would take both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, the Economic Policy Institute wrote, “Extreme churn after