NM Health Insurance Scholarship Goes Local

Participation in this year’s open registration for from New Mexico The healthcare market is crucial after its transition from a federally backed state-based exchange to a fully state-run program, beWellnm officials advise.

“It’s really important for consumers who were on Healthcare.gov to understand that they need to upgrade to beWellnm for 2022 coverage,” said Maureen manring, director of communication and awareness at beWellnm.

BeWellnm is the official state health insurance stock exchange. It exists to help individuals and small businesses to New Mexico have access to affordable health care. In the past, the exchange used the federal enrollment platform Healthcare.gov, but as of this fall, the exchange is using its own state-run enrollment platform. Registrations for 2022 will be made on bewellnm.com.

Manring encourages beWellnm participants to reconfirm their accounts and reassess their coverage upon open enrollment. New Mexicans may qualify for additional financial assistance in the form of insurance premiums in 2022 through emergency pandemic funding from the federal government.

Additionally, with Healthcare.gov’s move to bewellnm.com, registrants who do not confirm their account during open enrollment are at risk of losing coverage, the CEO of beWellnm said. Jeffery Bustamante. But beWellnm will make an effort to ensure that this does not happen.

“Let’s say someone comes in January, hasn’t reconfirmed all of this. Well, they’re going to hear from us to make sure they log on and get that coverage,” Bustamante said.

Plans through beWellnm are available to all New Mexicans who are not insured by an employer, Medicare or Medicaid, and the time to re-enroll – or to enroll for the first time – begins. November, 1st.

In addition to the website, people can start through an in-person event, a virtual event, or over the phone.

“It’s just a matter of that consumer’s comfort level,” Manring said. “There are a lot of different ways.”

Registration ends January 15th, one month later than in previous years.

“We are delighted to be giving New Mexicans a little more time to make this decision,” Manring said.

But, to get coverage that begins on January 1st, she warned that claims must be completed sooner and premiums paid by 23 december.

The extended deadline serves everyone who wants coverage at the start of the year, but also meets the needs of people who want a little more time to assess their financial situation, Bustamante said.

An estimated 95,000 New Mexicans are eligible for health insurance coverage on beWellnm. Bustamante said around 43,000 are currently enrolled.

The move to a fully state-run program means that navigation assistance in the exchange will no longer come from a federal call center, but from within the state, according to Bustamante.

“When they call they get help with their application or throughout the process they will hear from New Mexicans,” Bustamante said. “They are going to talk to New Mexicans.”

BeWellnm will also have local control when reconciling payment and application issues or when assisting individuals transitioning from exchange coverage to Medicaid.

In the long run, the change should save money for New Mexico. For 2021, $ 5.3 billion was budgeted for the federal Healthcare.gov site. The proposed maintenance and operating budget for the 2022 public site is $ 4.7 million, according to beWellnm public relations consultant James korenchen.

“This is one of the most exciting parts of it,” Bustamante said. “… We were able to negotiate contracts with our supplier that are really very competitive, at a lower price than what we were paying for Healthcare.gov at the time.”

BeWellnm remains a resource for advice on how to enroll and for knowledge of available financial aid, Manring said. People just need to spend some time studying it.

“They really need to take this opportunity to look to get a quote, understand and compare plans and options for next year,” Manring said.

NM Post Health Insurance Exchange Goes Local First Appeared On Albuquerque Journal.