2021 Marketplace Special Enrollment Period Report: Through May 31

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) report that over 1.2 million Americans signed up for health insurance from the start of the 2021 Marketplace Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for consumers in HealthCare.gov States through March 31, including approximately 376,000 signups from in the month of May.

The number of new plan selections from the start of the SEP opportunity on February 15 through May 31 represents a substantial increase in enrollment from the same period in 2020 and 2019, when 501,000 and 359,000 consumers signed up for Marketplace coverage, respectively.  In previous years, SEPs were available primarily only for qualifying life events, whereas this year the Biden-Harris Administration opened a SEP to all Americans in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

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HealthCare.gov 2021 SEP Snapshot

Definitions:

New Plan Selections: The number of unique customers who didn’t have an active enrollment as of February 14, and made a plan selection on or after February 15, that is active as of the end of the reporting period. An active plan selection is one that is non-cancelled with an end date of December 31. While this plan selection metric is net of cancellations and terminations that occur during the reporting period, it doesn’t represent effectuated enrollments because reconciliation activity may continue in later periods.

New Consumers Requesting Coverage on an Application Submitted on or After February 15: The number of unique consumers who submitted an application and are requesting coverage on or after February 15 and didn’t have an active enrollment as of February 14. If determined eligible for Marketplace coverage, a consumer still needs to pick a health plan (i.e. plan selection) and pay their premium to have coverage (i.e. effectuate enrollment).

Marketplace Eligible: The number of new consumers requesting coverage on an application submitted on or after February 15 who are determined eligible to enroll in a Marketplace health plan, regardless of whether they applied for or are eligible for financial assistance.

Medicaid/CHIP Eligible: The number of unique new consumers requesting coverage on an application submitted on or after February 15 who are assessed or determined eligible for enrollment in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

2021 SEP by State Snapshot: Year over Year Comparison