Maine may soon runs its own marketplace for private health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, often known as “Obamacare,” if a plan by Gov. Janet Mills is approved.
Mills said in a news release Thursday that she’s proposing the state take over management of its marketplace, which consumers and small businesses use to shop for health coverage and apply for financial assistance under the ACA.
Maine currently relies on the federal government to operate the state marketplace. But states have the choice to run their marketplaces independently, or with help from the feds; there are several options. Under Mills’ plan, Maine would have greater control over outreach, marketing and consumer assistance, while the federal government would continue to provide the call center and website for enrollment.
“By pursuing a state-based marketplace, we will be putting ourselves — not the federal government — in the driver’s seat when it comes to helping consumers and small employers understand their options for affordable coverage, and we will better insulate ourselves from the attacks on health care that are coming out of Washington,” Mills said in the release.
Mills plans to introduce legislation in January that would establish the details of the new marketplace. The plan must also be approved by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The upcoming application process for receiving health coverage in 2020 is not affected by the plan, which would go into effect before 2021.