FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

April 1, 2020 

Contact: Stephen Eisele 

(417) 848-3285 | seisele@communitycatalyst.org 

(BOSTON, MA) – Yesterday, the Trump administration said that it would not create an emergency special enrollment period (SEP) in states that use HealthCare.Gov to run their private health insurance marketplaces. We recently joined more than 200 organizations to call for a special enrollment period would pave the way for people who lack health insurance to get the coverage they need now for testing, treatment and other critical care amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It would allow people to select a health insurance plan outside of the condensed open enrollment period which typically runs from November 1 to December 15. 

Statement of Community Catalyst Executive Director, Emily Stewart, in response to the announcement: 

“The Trump administration’s decision not to open a special enrollment period (SEP) for people to sign up for quality, affordable health care through HealthCare.Gov is the latest in a series of missteps in mitigating the worst effects of the growing COVID-19 pandemic. We should be looking at every option to help people get the care they need, particularly people who face unfair and discriminatory barriers to health and economic security.  

“In addition to an unrelenting campaign to sabotage the Affordable Care Act and impede people’s access to affordable, quality health care, this is yet another decision by the Trump administration that will harm people. This is a scary time for people – especially those who don’t have access to health care, who are disproportionately people of color, low-income and reside in rural areas. This irresponsible decision will have long lasting health and economic impacts, and we strongly urge the administration to reconsider.” 

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About Community Catalyst 
Community Catalyst is a national, non-profit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1998 with the belief that affordable quality health care should be accessible to everyone. We work in partnership with national, state and local organizations, policymakers and philanthropic foundations to ensure consumer interests are represented wherever important decisions about health and the health system are made: in communities, statehouses and on Capitol Hill. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org. Follow us on Twitter @HealthPolicyHub.