Washington, D.C. — Today, the Biden administration is expected to announce a proposed rule that will allow millions of people to newly qualify for financial assistance toward health insurance costs. The new rule would correct the so-called family glitch in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), an interpretation of the original legislation that has kept 5.1 million people from accessing premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions for marketplace coverage. Without this rule, whole families can be deemed ineligible for financial assistance if one family member is offered employer-sponsored insurance, even if the family cannot afford that option.
In response, Emily Gee, vice president and coordinator for Health Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
The Biden administration’s action to fix the ACA’s family glitch will allow over a million Americans without an affordable health coverage option to access the financial help they deserve. This rule will lower health care costs for low- and middle-income families that cannot afford employer-sponsored plan premiums. It will help the families of hard-working Americans, including some of the 2.8 million children who are not eligible for the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Because of the new rule, about 200,000 people who are uninsured will finally gain access to comprehensive, affordable coverage. The new policy will also reduce premium costs for others who already have health insurance coverage.
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For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].