COVID Relief Package Could Also Boost Coverage, Help Insurers
COVID-19 relief legislation under consideration by key committees in the House of Representatives includes provisions aimed at helping Americans afford health insurance, many of which could be beneficial to consumers and health insurance organizations alike.
A proposal from the House Ways and Means committee would alter Affordable Care Act subsidies, effective only in 2021 and 2022, to ensure that no marketplace enrollee pays more than 8.5% of their income on premiums. That would mean that people earning above 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL) would be eligible for ACA subsidies for the first time. People with income below 150% of the FPL also would see the premiums for a benchmark ACA plan (the second-lowest cost silver-tier plan) fully subsidized.