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The Next Big Thing in Health is a podcast where we explore the new big ideas that will help make health care more affordable, more available, and more effective.

Last week, ÐÜèÊÓƵPresident and CEO Matt Eyles was joined by Jeanette Thornton, ÐÜèÊÓƵExecutive Vice President of Public Policy and Strategies. They discussed what’s new during open enrollment this year, and what people should think about as they make their decisions.

Eyles:

Hi, I'm Matt Eyles, President and CEO of AHIP, and welcome to a special episode of The Next Big Thing in Health. It is open enrollment season, when Americans are choosing their health care coverage for 2023. Millions of Americans are looking at their options, especially seniors and people with disabilities who are eligible for Medicare and those who buy coverage in the individual market or marketplace. Medicare's open enrollment period began October 15 and runs through December 7. And open enrollment for the individual market runs November 1 through January 15. It's a critical time to make your coverage choice so you can continue to have security and peace of mind that health insurance delivers. Today, I'll be talking with Jeanette Thornton, AHIP's Executive Vice President of Public Policy and Strategy, about what's new this open enrollment season and what people should think about as they make their decisions. Jeanette, thanks for joining me today.

Thornton:

Matt. So glad to be here.

Eyles:

Why don't we just start with some of the basics, like why is it so important for people to get health insurance coverage?

Thornton:

Thanks, Matt. That's a really great question. As we come up upon Thanksgiving and the Christmas holiday, it's just so important to have the peace of mind that comes with health insurance. When you're covered, you get access to routine checkups, screenings and preventive care. And it's the perfect conversation to have around the dinner table.

Eyles:

Open enrollment is all about choice. How are the choices looking for Americans in the individual and Medicare Advantage markets this year?

Thornton:

Absolutely. Let me start with the individual market, Matt. This year we have over 200 companies offering coverage in the individual market. For particular states, that means around six to seven companies per state and over 100 plans to choose from. It will be important to check healthcare.gov to see what plans are available in your area. For Medicare, we're seeing an increasing number of companies participate with an increase of over 15% of companies participating over the last 10 years.

Eyles:

So we know affordability is always top of mind for consumers. When we look at the plans, how affordable are they?

Thornton:

Sure, that's really important to people out there as they're shopping for coverage. So let's talk about Medicare first. For a majority of people who are looking for coverage, they're going to be able to enroll in a $0 premium Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage. This is an increase over these plans available from last year. And premiums are down, we're seeing that a projected average premium for 2023 Medicare Advantage plans is just about $18 per month. For those shopping for coverage in the individual market, you're likely eligible for tax credits. Over 90% of people currently enrolled do take advantage of those credits to make their coverage affordable for them and their family.

Eyles:

Premiums are always an important thing that people consider as they’re making a choice, but we know that premiums shouldn't be the only thing. What should Americans be thinking about beyond price premiums to make sure that their health plan choice provides robust coverage?

Thornton:

Absolutely. It's so important that when you're looking for coverage, you're not just focused on what the premium is or what your co-payments or your deductible is. It's really important that you look at what doctors you use or hospitals you visit are covered under the plan, and which of the prescription drugs you may be taking are covered. If you're thinking about enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan it's also important to look at what additional benefits are available. Many plans offer services like grocery deliveries and rides for transportation to and from doctor's appointments, so it’s important to look at those additional benefits as well.

Eyles:

So we know it's a really busy time of year with open enrollment. What are some other things that health insurance providers are thinking about?

Thornton:

Absolutely. It's been really busy and our goal is to ensure everyone is covered with high quality affordable health insurance. It's also so important for us that everyone has more choices, and high-quality care at a price they can afford. We want people who are enrolled in coverage to get healthy and stay healthy and this is how we are working every day to guide greater health.

Eyles:

Yeah, I think that's a really great message to end with Jeanette: we want everyone to be covered. It's so important for people to make sure that they're protected and have coverage this year. So thanks so much for being with us today.

Thornton:

Thanks for having me.

The Next Big Thing in Health

In each episode, ÐÜèÊÓƵis joined by a health care leader who shines a light on the big thing they want to see America focus on for health care improvement—from the impact of new technology like artificial intelligence to innovative solutions to effectively serve consumers.