NORFOLK, Va. — Virginia is putting $150 million toward a new program designed to help residents afford health insurance through the state marketplace.
The announcement comes as some Virginians continue to struggle with the cost of coverage.
Miriam Valentin and her sister, Myra Lyons, came to Gethsemane Community Fellowship in Norfolk on Tuesday morning to learn more about their health care options.
“To have something like this come to our church and get people informed about what they can do at this particular time in this country is very important because the needs are real and they are wide and vast,” Lyons said.
Valentin said changes involving which insurance plans some hospitals accept have also made access to affordable care a concern.
The new Virginia Premium Savings Program will use $150 million in state funding to help eligible Virginians lower their monthly health insurance premiums through the state marketplace. State leaders said some eligible residents could save as much as 70% on their premiums although they say newer estimates show more than 50,000 people could qualify for a $0 premium.
The program could help up to 200,000 people.
The program comes after federal tax credits expired at the start of the year. State leaders said 70,000 Virginians lost their health insurance because coverage became too expensive.
“If you lost coverage this year because you couldn’t afford it, come back to the marketplace. Help is here,” said Keven Patchett, executive director of the Health Benefit Exchange.
For Gaylene Kanoyton, who helped organize Tuesday's event, the announcement was emotional.
“It warms my heart because the people that need to have it,” Kanoyton said before becoming emotional. “I said I wasn’t going to cry.”
Open enrollment for Virginia's health insurance marketplace begins Nov. 1.
Spanberger said she hopes the new assistance will help bring people who lost coverage back into the insurance market and improve health outcomes for Virginia families.
At the same time, the governor said she remains concerned about additional federal Medicaid cuts, including changes set to begin Jan. 1.
Asked about their potential impact, Spanberger described it simply: “Catastrophic is the short answer.”
For now, state leaders and community advocates say they are optimistic the new premium assistance will give more Virginians an affordable opportunity to get health coverage.
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