New enrollment in Affordable Care Act plans through Covered California is down significantly in the North Bay, mirroring a statewide decline of about 30%.
According to the Press Democrat, Jessica Altman, Executive Director of Covered California, attributes the drop to uncertainty over the enhanced federal tax subsidies which are set to expire at the end of the year. She says many uninsured people may be “watching and waiting” for Congress to act.
If these subsidies are not extended, over 28,000 residents in Sonoma and Napa counties could face soaring health insurance costs. Covered California estimates average monthly premiums could jump by nearly 90% in the region once the federal assistance ends.
Lawmakers in Washington D.C. are currently debating the future of these subsidies. Altman stressed that extending the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits is the “only way to protect consumers from the looming premium increases.”
