Consumers Shopping for Health Plans Left in the Dark by Trump Administration
Last week, the Trump administration nearly eliminated federal funding for the federal “navigator” program that assists people in choosing a health plan. The administration also directed navigators to inform consumers about the existence of insurance policies that don’t comply with Affordable Care Act (ACA) standards, which can leave enrollees exposed to high health care costs.
In a new post on To the Point, the Commonwealth Fund’s Sara Collins explains why the administration’s changes are bad for consumers. Commonwealth Fund surveys have found that getting personal assistance makes a significant difference in whether someone enrolls in a health plan. And navigators have been particularly helpful to low-income consumers and non-English speakers.
“The new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services navigator policy and budget reduction may increase the number of uninsured Americans, leave a less healthy pool of people in the ACA-compliant individual market, and increase premiums,” Collins writes.
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