As part of ongoing COVID-19 response efforts, yesterday the Washington Health Benefit Exchange opened a time-limited, extended enrollment opportunity for customers who have lost health coverage during the public health emergency.
Typically, customers losing coverage mid-year have 60 days before and after their coverage end date to sign up through Washington Healthplanfinder. During COVID, customers have reported enrollment barriers including delays in receiving federal or state unemployment insurance payments. To help address these barriers, the Exchange is giving customers experiencing a gap in coverage more time to enroll.
Starting yesterday, August 17, individuals who have voluntarily or involuntarily lost health insurance coverage during the public health emergency will have until September 30, 2020 to sign up for coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder. Loss of coverage includes loss of minimum essential coverage (including employer sponsored health coverage or COBRA) and loss of coverage from short-term limited duration plans or health sharing ministries.
To sign up, customers must call the Washington Healthplanfinder Customer Support Center or contact their local Navigator or producer. Customers who sign up by September 15 can get coverage starting October 1. After September 15, coverage starts November 1.
- Washington Healthplanfinder Customer Support Center
Help is available in over 175 languages. Language and disability accommodations are provided at no cost.
Business Hours: Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm.
Phone:1-855-923-4633
TTY: 1-855-627-9604
Please let WHBE (contact info below) know if you have any questions, and thank you for helping us spread the word about this time-limited special enrollment opportunity.
Mary McHale | Associate Director - Outreach | Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs | Washington Health Benefit Exchange | 810 Jefferson St. SE | P.O. Box 657 | Olympia, WA 98507 | ( 360.688.1532 |È610.417.4746 | Fax: 360.688.7332 | * Mary.McHale@WAHBExchange.org | www.WAHBExchange.org