Herring urges Virginians to explore coverage options on HealthCare.Gov

Attorney General Mark Herring is urging Virginians who have lost or could lose their jobs due to the COVD-19 pandemic to evaluate their insurance options to make sure that they remain covered.

A new study estimates that at least 5.4 million American workers who lost their jobs between February and May are now uninsured, and in Virginia alone, it is estimated that 14% of adults are currently without health insurance.

Virginians who have lost or could lose their employer-sponsored healthcare coverage because of job-loss due to COVID19 could qualify for health insurance coverage through a Special Enrollment Period on HealthCare.Gov.

More than 900,000 Virginians have filed for unemployment benefits with the Virginia Employment Commission since the start of the pandemic. Some Virginians may even be eligible for all or part of their out of pocket costs to be covered as well.

“Virginia continues to see unprecedented COVID-related job loss, which means that hundreds of thousands of Virginians have also lost their job-related health insurance,” Herring said. “I again want to urge any Virginian who has lost their job during this time to evaluate their health insurance options on HealthCare.Gov. We are still in the middle of a national public health crisis and having healthcare coverage is crucial to making sure Virginians and their families and communities stay safe and healthy.”

If you or someone else in your household has lost employer-sponsored healthcare coverage either in the last 60 days or expects to lose coverage in the next 60 days, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Financial assistance may be available for Virginians to help reduce or even eliminate out of pocket payments for premiums.

You can go online to HealthCare.Gov and check to see whether you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

In April, Herring sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services urging them to reconsider their shortsighted decision to deny a special enrollment period on HealthCare.Gov during the current worldwide pandemic.

In the letter, Herring and his colleagues argue that the federal government should take action to make it possible for Americans across the country who are facing uncertainty as a result of COVID-19 to obtain the healthcare coverage that they need during this critical times.