Kentuckians depend on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for access to quality health care at an affordable cost. Through its programs, ACA has significantly decreased Kentuckian uninsured rates; invested billions into local economies by supporting community clinics and rural hospitals; protected millions with preexisting conditions; and much more.
Kentucky would experience serious setbacks should the Supreme Court overturn Kentucky’s law and remove coverage options altogether.
Coverage
In 2014, more than 521,000 Kentucky residents obtained coverage during open enrollment through Kynect, with most opting for private health plans while some qualifying for free or low-cost Medicaid coverage. Unfortunately, in 2016 Kentucky switched to a different enrollment platform – not an effective transition and enrollments have suffered significantly as a result.
Stakeholders attribute Kynect’s early success to state-specific branding, which helped decouple exchange expansions from Obamacare. Furthermore, the system was integrated to allow it to make real-time determinations and send one notification rather than two.
Kentucky residents who experience qualifying life events or lose COBRA coverage may qualify to purchase health insurance through Kynect this fall during either open enrollment, or during an additional 60-day special enrollment window.
Pre-existing conditions
Before the Affordable Care Act was in place, many people found it difficult to secure health coverage due to pre-existing conditions that made it hard for them to qualify for health coverage. This can include past injuries from which one has recovered as well as current illnesses or chronic diseases that make coverage hard to come by. Before now, insurers would either refuse them coverage altogether or charge higher premiums; now however these discriminatory practices are illegal under ACA; furthermore all plans must cover essential benefits including prescription drug coverage as outlined by this law.
Kynect utilized state-specific branding that helped Kentucky residents access these new opportunities, distancing coverage expansions from Obamacare or “Obamacare.” This approach also assisted local volunteers known as Kynectors with outreach and enrollment efforts – often working closely with insurance brokers or community-based organizations.
Access to care
Kentucky is home to nearly 1.8 million non-elderly Kentuckians living with preexisting conditions who would have otherwise been barred from purchasing insurance without protections afforded them by the ACA. Thanks to kynect marketplace and Medicaid programs in place in their state, these individuals have found coverage that meets both their budgetary constraints and their specific healthcare needs.
Kentucky implemented comprehensive statewide marketing across various channels in order to encourage enrollment in their program, using features such as an interactive map to help individuals locate nearby certified assisters, toll-free numbers and full Spanish versions of its website (kynect). These features assisted individuals and created an environment conducive for enrollment.
Kynect provided educational materials and statewide outreach services designed to increase health and insurance literacy, such as a glossary and information about deductibles and copayments. Stakeholders report that this has contributed to an increase in marketplace enrollment rates within Kentucky; additionally, its fully integrated system allowed real-time determinations of eligibility for both marketplace and Medicaid programs.
