The Texas Department of Insurance decided Friday to postpone the closure of the high-risk health insurance pool, according to the Texas Tribune. That pool serves 23,000 Texans who have trouble finding health insurance due to pre-existing health conditions, like cancer or diabetes.
The pool was scheduled to shut down on Jan. 1, since everyone — including people with pre-existing conditions — was supposed to be able to buy insurance on the federal marketplace. Due to the difficulties with enrollment online, Texas Insurance Commissioner Julia Rathgeber said it will stay open until March 31st.
KERA News profiled one North Texas family that successfully made the switch from the high-risk pool in October to the marketplace — they’re saving more than $2,000 each month.
