MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) Commissioner Nathan Houdek, recently celebrated the launch of the 12th annual ‘Open Enrollment’ period, which began Friday, Nov. 1, and urged Wisconsin residents to sign up for high-quality, affordable healthcare coverage through Healthcare.gov. During the last Open Enrollment Period, a record-setting 254,482 Wisconsinites signed up for health insurance on the individual marketplace. Gov. Evers also underscored the importance of retaining the Affordable Care Act to ensure millions of Wisconsinites and Americans can maintain access to healthcare coverage.
“For more than a decade, the Affordable Care Act has been a game changer for millions of Wisconsin families, ensuring folks have access to affordable healthcare, including 2.4 million Wisconsinites like me with pre-existing conditions. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration and our Senator Tammy Baldwin, coverage is more affordable than ever before,” said Gov Evers. “I encourage Wisconsinites to explore their options and get covered, and together, we’ll build a healthier, stronger Wisconsin for everybody.”
Since it was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been transformational for folks and families across the state and country, providing healthcare coverage to millions of Wisconsin families and ensuring folks can access health insurance without lifetime limits and protecting the coverage of more than 100 million Americans — including 2.4 million Wisconsinites — who have pre-existing conditions. Another key provision of the ACA, authored by U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), allows young people to stay on their parents’ insurance until the age of 26.
“After battling a serious childhood illness, insurance companies refused to cover me because of my ‘pre-existing condition,’ and I saw firsthand the power and greed of our healthcare industry,” said Sen. Baldwin. “I took my personal story and turned it into action to pass the Affordable Care Act — protecting people with pre-existing conditions, lowering costs, and expanding care for working families. As we mark the start of open enrollment this year, I encourage every Wisconsinite to visit HealthCare.gov and explore their options to get quality health care.”
Since its creation, the ACA has also saved Wisconsinites and Americans millions in healthcare costs. Thanks to the efforts of the Biden-Harris Administration and Sen. Baldwin, coverage today is more affordable than ever. Bolstered by the American Rescue Plan Act and extended by the Inflation Reduction Act, last year, the majority of Wisconsinites who enrolled in health insurance on HealthCare.gov qualified for cost savings, with the average person saving $573.11 on their monthly insurance premiums.
“Talk to a licensed agent, broker, or health insurance navigator to find a high-quality health insurance plan that covers doctor visits, prescriptions, hospital stays, and more,” said OCI Commissioner Houdek. “Consumers in nearly every county in the state can choose from at least three insurers, and most Wisconsinites qualify for reduced monthly premiums.”
Additionally, the ACA and its related regulations were groundbreaking in ensuring access to birth control and contraception care, as most plans are required to cover these services with no out-of-pocket costs for consumers. Further, earlier this month, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris proposed a rule that would significantly expand coverage of contraception with no out-of-pocket costs for millions of Americans under the ACA, including over-the-counter contraception without a prescription. If approved, according to the White House, this would be the most significant expansion of contraception coverage under the ACA since 2012.
Open Enrollment will continue through Jan. 15, 2025. During this time, eligible Wisconsinites can enroll in one of the health plans available on the individual health insurance marketplace. Those who already have insurance through the marketplace can also renew, update, or upgrade their health plans during this period. Wisconsin has one of the most competitive individual health insurance markets in the nation, with15 insurers participating for plan year 2025. An interactive map of health insurers available by county can be found online.
Gov. Evers has long been committed to ensuring every Wisconsinite has access to quality, affordable healthcare. In 2019, the governor delivered on his promise to withdraw the state of Wisconsin from a Republican-led lawsuit that would have gutted the ACA, kicked thousands of Wisconsinites off their healthcare, and put 2.4 million Wisconsinites who have a pre-existing condition at risk. Gov. Evers also launched the DHS OCI Health Care Coverage Partnership in 2019 to improve coordination around outreach and education, increase enrollment and health insurance literacy, and improve enrollment retention. In 2020, this partnership launched WisCovered.com as an accessible resource for consumers looking for information about health coverage. Services are available in English, Spanish, and Hmong.
The ACA has also given Wisconsin the flexibility to operate the successful Wisconsin Healthcare Stability Plan (WIHSP). WIHSP was created by 2017 Wisconsin Act 138, a bipartisan bill signed into law in 2018 and implemented under Gov. Evers. WIHSP has helped keep health insurance rates low while increasing choice for consumers every year it has been in operation. Due to support from Gov. Evers and the Wisconsin State Legislature, WIHSP has been fully funded in each of the last three state biennial budgets. This program was recently extended through Dec. 31, 2028.
In 2022, health insurance rates were 14.5 percent lower, and in 2023, rates were 13.7 percent lower than they would have been without WIHSP. Rates on HealthCare.gov would have increased by 19.5 percent for the 2025 plan year, based on a weighted average. Thanks to WIHSP, rates on the individual health insurance market in Wisconsin will instead increase by a weighted average of 8.2 percent for the 2025 plan year.
Wisconsinites can explore their coverage options at any time at Healthcare.gov. To get connected to free, expert help and explore cost-saving options, Wisconsinites are encouraged to visit WisCovered.com.