2021 Marketplace Special Enrollment Period Report: Through March 31

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) report that over 528,000 Americans signed up for health insurance from the start of the 2021 Marketplace Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for consumers in HealthCare.gov States through March 31, including approximately 322,000 signups from March 1 to March 31.

The number of people signing up for health insurance from the start of the SEP opportunity on February 15 through March 31 represents a substantial increase from 2020 and 2019, when 209,000 and 171,000 consumers signed up for health insurance respectively. In previous years, SEPs were available only for qualifying life events, whereas this year the Biden Administration opened a SEP to all Americans in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

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DEFINITIONS:

New Plan Selections: The number of unique consumers who didn’t have an active enrollment as of February 14, and made a plan selection on or after February 15, that is active as of the end of the reporting period. An active plan selection is one that is non-cancelled with an end date of December 31. While this plan selection metric is net of cancellations and terminations that occur during the reporting period, it doesn’t represent effectuated enrollments because reconciliation activity may continue in later periods.

New Consumers Requesting Coverage on an Application Submitted on or after February 15: The number of unique consumers who submitted an application and are requesting coverage on or after February 15 and didn’t have an active enrollment as of February 14. If determined eligible for Marketplace coverage, a consumer still needs to pick a health plan (i.e., plan selection) and pay their premium to have coverage (i.e., effectuate enrollment).

Marketplace Eligible: The number of new consumers requesting coverage on an application submitted on or after February 15 who are determined eligible to enroll in a Marketplace health plan, regardless of whether they applied for or are eligible for financial assistance.

Medicaid/CHIP Eligible: The number of unique consumers requesting coverage on an application submitted on or after February 15 who are assessed or determined eligible for enrollment in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

2021 SEP by State Snapshot Year over Year Comparison