HHS announced Tuesday it will stabilize and fortify the Health Insurance Marketplace by targeting uninsured young adults to enroll.
While the number of uninsured young adults fell by more than 50 percent since the Affordable Care Act's enactment, young adults remain more likely to be uninsured than the average enrollee. This undermines the individual market risk pool since younger individuals tend to be healthier and cost less to cover in proportion to the premiums they pay than older enrollees.
Here are four initiatives the HHS plans to enact:
1. Reach out specifically to people opting out of coverage and paying the individual responsibility penalty. In 2014, 45 percent of the 7.9 million filers who paid a fee for not purchasing coverage were young adults. For 2017 open enrollment, CMS will work with the IRS to reach individuals who paid the fee or claimed exemption from the fee in 2015. HHS found heightening consumers' awareness of the fee resulted in a 13 percent increase in enrollment responses. Information about financial assistance will be sent to low- and moderate-income families as well.
2. Use smarter technology during open enrollment. Data from the 2016 open enrollment period showed young adults were two times more likely to enroll if they received an email about marketplace coverage. As a result, HHS said it will implement strategies like emailing "near-to-real time" when an applicant opens an account but does not start an application, or if an applicant starts an application but leaves it incomplete. HHS also found young adults are conscious of deadlines and more likely to enroll if information about financial assistance and premium increases under their current plan is provided.
3. Reach out to young adults transitioning between plans. Census data from 2014 shows uninsured rates for young adults increased by 7 percent when they reached age 19 and by 4 percent at age 26. HHS will encourage state-based marketplaces, managed care organizations and states to assist individuals transitioning from the Children's Health Insurance Program or Medicaid to marketplace coverage. HHS will also encourage insurers to directly contact young adults aged 26 and transitioning to a new healthcare plan with information about marketplace options.
4. Engage with young adults through private and public partnerships. HHS plans to partner with rideshare company Lyft to offer discounted rides for young adults attending open enrollment events, and will encourage Lyft to recommend its drivers in 190 cities purchase health insurance via the ACA. Additionally, the American Hospital Association will create a media kit for hospitals to use containing information about health insurance, how to enroll, where to enroll and available subsidies. Lastly, coordinated young adult campaigns like the digital outreach #HealthyAdulting — a hashtag used to brand the movement of young adults gaining health insurance — and outreach to college campuses, millennial parents and LGBTQ communities will commence.
Additionally, a National Millennial Health Summit will be held on Sept. 27 at the White House, and National Youth Enrollment Day will take place on Dec. 10.