Around the same time Ana Rangel began helping people navigate the Affordable Care Act marketplace, she helped her son find an insurance plan when he turned 26 years old.
When they found a plan that offered a $12 a month premium with no deductible, both Rangel and her son were skeptical.
“At first, I couldn’t believe it ... he was even telling me, Mommy, are you sure this is for real?” she recalled.
Five years later, Rangel’s son is still on the plan – and she and other navigators at LBU Community Clinic locations around Dallas have helped a growing number of people apply. In 2021, LBU helped 95 applicants. As of Jan. 8, the clinic has helped nearly 500 people apply, Rangel said, .
“That’s a great number,” Rangel said. “That’s a huge number because now, we’re seeing results.”
Open enrollment ends Wednesday. The marketplace is open to people in the U.S. with citizenship and who are not incarcerated. People whose income matches or exceeds the federal poverty level may be eligible for reduced premiums through tax credits.
The rising demand for navigators mirrors state and national trends. Nearly 24 million people across the country have signed up through the ACA Marketplace between Nov. 1 and Jan. 8, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In Texas, nearly 3.9 million people have enrolled – a number that has already surpassed the 3.5 million who signed up last year.
Katherine Hempstead, senior policy adviser with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said the expansion of premium tax credits and expanded knowledge of the marketplace has contributed to the increase.
“We’ve seen a cheaper product and more demand, and we’ve seen a lot of growth,” she said. “I won’t be at all surprised if we surpass 25 million enrollees [nationally] by the time this open enrollment is over.”
Provisions in the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act lowered costs and enhanced subsidies. Under the Biden administration, community groups including LBU Community Clinic, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and Prism Health North Texas received funding to hire more navigators.
“[Navigators] go into the community and they provide education and also ensure that people know about what’s going on with the Affordable Care Act,” said Ismael Cruz, benefits director at PHNTX.
The United Way of Metropolitan Dallas has targeted outreach to pregnant people and young adults — especially those who were among the more than 2 million Texans who lost Medicaid coverage during the end of continuous enrollment, according to Daniel Bouton, the group’s vice president of health and wellness.
“Our navigators really reach out to a lot of them to inform them of their options, and that has helped tremendously,” Bouton said.
People can find local navigators through Healthcare.gov or call 800-318-2596 to learn more about enrollment options.
Got a tip? Email Kailey Broussard at kbroussard@kera.org.
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