Eligibility Of 310,000 Immigrants Who Bought ACA Plans Questioned
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
The CMS Memo Alerts Those On Notice To Furnish Proof of Eligibility.
The CMS announced it has closed approximately 450,000 citizenship and immigration status data matching cases and states that another 210,000 are in progress, warning the remaining consumers to respond quickly or their HealthCare.gov Marketplace coverage could end.
The CMS sent out 310,000 letters informing enrollees they have until September 5 to furnish copies of green cards, proof of citizenship or other documents to demonstrate eligibility for the coverage. If they fail to do so, their coverage will end September 30.
The Federal Health Insurance Marketplace began sending notices this week to consumers with a citizenship or immigration data matching issue (also called an inconsistency) who have not responded to previous notices via mail, email, and phone. One of the discrepancies the agency is concerned about is an instance where information reported in a consumer's application, such as a Social Security or permanent resident card number, is incomplete or different than the information the government has on file.
These inconsistencies do not necessarily mean there is a problem with an individual’s eligibility for enrollment. Rather it signifies additional information is needed to verify the information provided in an application.
States that are running their own marketplaces are reconciling any data-matching issues separately.
In addition to the letters, which were dispatched in both English and Spanish, the CMS is relying on a network of partners, local assistors, and other stakeholders – including community health centers – to help to get the word out.
“Whether it is online, via our call center, or with one of our local partners, consumers will have a number of ways to find the help they need to continue their coverage,” said CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner in a statement.
“The Affordable Care Act is working to make quality health care more affordable and accessible for families. Over the last several weeks, the Marketplace has reminded affected enrollees in the Federally-facilitated Marketplace via mail, email, and phone to send in their supporting documents so they can keep their Marketplace coverage, and insurance companies have reached out directly to these customers as well,” Tavenner continued. “The good news is that many have responded — we’ve closed about 450,000 of these cases and have an additional 210,000 cases in progress. However, some still have not responded. We want as many consumers as possible to remain enrolled in Marketplace coverage, so we are giving these individuals a last chance to submit their documents before their coverage through the Marketplace will end.”
CMS states that it has worked hard to reach each consumer with a data matching issue five to seven times — via mail, phone and email — to submit their information. They continue to receive up to 60,000 documents a day.
“Since this is an urgent matter, we are activating our networks on the ground to reach people directly in the communities where they live. Whether it is online, via our call center, or with one of our local partners, consumers will have a number of ways to find the help they need to continue their coverage,” said Tavenner.