Governor Janet T. Mills (D) with Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew of the State’s Health & Human Services Department on the Portland Waterfront This Morning.
Governor Janet Mills (D) at This Morning’s Press Conference on the Portland Waterfront.
Joined by Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Governor Janet Mills (D) today applauded CMS’s recent approval of Maine’s State-based Health Insurance Marketplace – CoverME.gov and announced that, beginning Friday, October 15, 2021, Maine people can window shop for plans using a new tool called “Plan Compare.” The announcements came this morning at a press conference on the Portland waterfront.
The “Plan Compare” tool was built using feedback from on-the-ground consumer experience and it allows Maine people to more easily browse and compare plans based on monthly payments. Beginning Friday, Maine people can visit CoverME.gov and use Plan Compare to window shop for plans without having to sign up or enter any personal information. When Open Enrollment begins on November 1, 2021, consumers then can use the tool to help them enroll in a plan.
Governor Mills also announced that the Maine Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) office of the Health Insurance Marketplace will increase funding to navigators to expand outreach and enrollment activities during the upcoming Open enrollment Period. The Department will increase funding for a statewide consumer help line and technical assistance to $350,000 in 2022 from $200,000 in 2021.
Earlier this month, Governor Mills announced that CMS approved the state’s application to run a State-based Marketplace. A State-based Marketplace allows Maine to customize the Marketplace to fit Maine people’s needs and to tailor outreach and resources toward uninsured communities. Maine was one of three states receiving approvals by CMS to run its own Marketplace.
“Our State-based Marketplace puts Maine in the driver’s seat when it comes to health care,” said the Governor. “From extending our open enrolment period to creating a pregnancy-related special enrollment period to developing a new tool to easily compare health plans, the creation of our own Marketplace gives us greater flexibility to customize and better fit the needs of Maine people so that we an improve access to high-quality, affordable coverage I am grateful to CMS for its approval and encourage Maine people to visit coverME.gov to window shop for plans and sign up beginning on November 1st.”
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to working with states to ensure that everyone can get the coverage and care they need and building on the success of the Affordable Care Act and the American Rescue Plan,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “CMS applauds states like Maine, who are taking important steps to expand access to comprehensive health care.”