CORONAVIRUS: Booker Renews Call for Healthcare Special Enrollment Period

Booker was first lawmaker to author bill creating special enrollment period

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to skyrocket across the country, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today renewed his call for the Trump Administration to create a special enrollment period so that individuals impacted by COVID-19, or those who currently do not have health insurance, can sign up for coverage at HealthCare.gov. Booker was the first lawmaker to propose legislation that would create such an enrollment period so that millions of individuals fearful of and impacted by COVID-19 could access coverage.

“Individuals who do not currently have insurance are rightfully worried that seeking care related to this disease could lead to a mountain of medical bills, enough to make someone go broke,” Booker said. “The ACA marketplace was designed so that individuals without health insurance can get affordable, quality coverage. These extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. The President should reopen the health insurance marketplace so Americans can enroll in the coverage they need.”

Earlier this month Booker introduced the Care for COVID-19 Act, which would create a special enrollment period for Americans impacted by Coronavirus.  This bill would also require health insurance plans to cover services related to the virus, like testing and preventive services, with no cost-sharing to the patient. This measure, which Booker was the first to propose, was incorporated in the two Coronavirus relief packages recently passed by the Senate. Millions of Americans will now no longer face a cost barrier for Coronavirus testing or preventative services.