Kynect

Last updated
kynect
Agency overview
Jurisdiction Health insurance marketplace for U.S. state of Kentucky
Website kynect.ky.gov

kynect, formerly and also called the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange, is the health insurance marketplace, previously known as health insurance exchange, in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky, created by then-Governor Steve Beshear in accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Steve Beshear's successor as governor, Matt Bevin, ended Kynect enrollment for individuals as of 2017. [1] [2] From 2017 to 2020, the marketplace operated a web site for small business owners. [3] [4] Bevin's successor, Andy Beshear, announced on June 17, 2020, that Kentucky will reestablish a state health insurance marketplace similar to kynect, with full implementation by January 1, 2022. [5] Kynect was officially relaunched on October 5, 2020, with full implementation in January 2022. [6]

Contents

Purpose

The marketplace was offered to individuals and families who are not covered by their employer, allowing enrollees to compare health insurance plans and provides those who qualify with access to tax credits. Enrollment started on October 1, 2013, and the first enrollment period ended March 31, 2014.

Enrollment

137,000 individuals were reported using the website on the first four days of operation. [7] The New York Times reported that Kentucky was "far ahead of most in signing up people" at the end of October, the first month of enrollment. [8] By April 15, 2014, over 410,000 Kentuckians had signed up for health care plans through kynect. [9]

Relaunch

Kynect was officially relaunched on October 5, 2020. At that time, the website allows residents to apply for programs available on the former Kentucky Benefind website, which was launched after the original kynect website was deactivated in 2017 and itself was deactivated and linked to the new kynect after its relaunch. These services include enrollment in Medicaid, the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP) and the Kentucky Integrated Health Insurance Premium Payment program. In addition, qualified families can now also access SNAP food assistance benefits along with other family and childcare assistance programs. [10] Kynect, like Benefind, linked to the federally run health insurance marketplace (healthcare.gov) until open enrollment in 2021. At that time, the state returned to a state run health insurance marketplace through kynect in time for policies to take effect in January 2022. [11]

Participating insurance providers at the time of the 2017 shutdown

Related Research Articles

Health insurance or medical insurance is a type of insurance that covers the whole or a part of the risk of a person incurring medical expenses. As with other types of insurance, risk is shared among many individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health risk and health system expenses over the risk pool, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to provide the money to pay for the health care benefits specified in the insurance agreement. The benefit is administered by a central organization, such as a government agency, private business, or not-for-profit entity.

The California Medical Assistance Program is the California implementation of the federal Medicaid program serving low-income individuals, including families, seniors, persons with disabilities, children in foster care, pregnant women, and childless adults with incomes below 138% of federal poverty level. Benefits include ambulatory patient services, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance use disorder treatment, dental (Denti-Cal), vision, and long-term care and support. Medi-Cal was created in 1965 by the California Medical Assistance Program a few months after the national legislation was passed. Approximately 15.28 million people were enrolled in Medi-Cal as of September 2022, or about 40% of California's population; in most counties, more than half of eligible residents were enrolled as of 2020.

In the United States, health insurance marketplaces, also called health exchanges, are organizations in each state through which people can purchase health insurance. People can purchase health insurance that complies with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act at ACA health exchanges, where they can choose from a range of government-regulated and standardized health care plans offered by the insurers participating in the exchange.

Members of the United States population between the ages of 18 and 29 who decide that it is in their financial best interest to forgo health insurance are sometimes referred to as young invincibles by the insurance industry, a term coined to express the idea that the young demographic perceives themselves as immune to sickness and injury. The argument is that these individuals are young and in good health, so they have a low risk of experiencing substantial health issues that would lead to large amounts of spending on health care. Further, this group tends to have a mentality of “it won’t happen to me” with regards to most causes of injury. Together, these beliefs lead to the young invincibles not purchasing insurance.

Molina Healthcare, Inc. is a managed care company headquartered in Long Beach, California, United States. The company provides health insurance to individuals through government programs such as Medicaid and Medicare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Covered California</span> Health insurance marketplace in California, U.S.

Covered California is the health insurance marketplace in the U.S. state of California established under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The exchange enables eligible individuals and small businesses to purchase private health insurance coverage at federally subsidized rates. It is administered by an independent agency of the government of California.

Washington Healthplanfinder is one of the fourteen health insurance marketplaces in the United States and was created in accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is divided into 10 titles and contains provisions that became effective immediately, 90 days after enactment, and six months after enactment, as well as provisions phased in through to 2020. Below are some of the key provisions of the ACA. For simplicity, the amendments in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 are integrated into this timeline.

Connect for Health Colorado is the health insurance marketplace, previously known as health insurance exchange, in the U.S. state of Colorado, created in accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It is located in Denver. The marketplace operates a toll-free call center and offers 541 health plans from 18 insurance companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HealthCare.gov</span> Health insurance exchange website

HealthCare.gov is a health insurance exchange website operated by the United States federal government under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act or ACA, commonly referred to as “Obamacare”, which currently serves the residents of the U.S. states which have opted not to create their own state exchanges. The exchange facilitates the sale of private health insurance plans to residents of the United States and offers subsidies to those who earn between one and four times the federal poverty line, but not to those earning less than the federal poverty line. The website also assists those persons who are eligible to sign up for Medicaid, and has a separate marketplace for small businesses.

The Maryland Health Connection is the health insurance marketplace in the U.S. state of Maryland, created in accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Vermont Health Connect is the health insurance marketplace, previously known as health insurance exchange, in the U.S. state of Vermont, created in accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The marketplace operates a website.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Bevin</span> Governor of Kentucky from 2015 to 2019

Matthew Griswold Bevin is an American businessman and politician who served as the 62nd governor of Kentucky from 2015 to 2019 and was the third Republican elected to that office since World War II, after Ernie Fletcher (2003–2007) and Louie Nunn (1967–1971). He is currently the CEO of Neuronetrix Solutions, LLC.

NY State of Health is the health insurance marketplace, previously known as health insurance exchange, in the U.S. state of New York, created in accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The marketplace operates a website.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DC Health Link</span> Health insurance marketplace

DC Health Link is the health insurance marketplace for the District of Columbia, created pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. DC Health Link is administered by the District's Health Benefit Exchange Authority.

Patient navigators educate and assist United States citizens in enrolling into health benefit plans stipulated in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Patient navigators are also called "insurance navigators" or "in-person assisters" who have defined roles under the ACA. Although their roles might overlap, patient navigators are not community health workers or health advocates. "Navigators" work in states with Federally-Facilitated Exchanges (FFEs) or State Partnership Exchanges.

Elisabeth Jensen is an education advocate and the Democratic Party nominee for Kentucky's 6th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Beshear</span> Governor of Kentucky since 2019

Andrew Graham Beshear is an American attorney and politician who has served as the 63rd governor of Kentucky since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the son of former Governor Steve Beshear.

HealthSherpa is a California-based technology company focused on connecting individuals with health coverage. The site was initially developed as an alternative to research plans from Healthcare.gov.

A private exchange, also known as a private benefits exchange or private health care exchange, is an online store or health insurance marketplace where employees or retirees purchase health insurance and other benefits, typically using funds contributed by their employer.

References

  1. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". kynect.
  2. ↑ Yetter, Deborah (October 4, 2016). "Feds give OK to disconnect kynect". The Courier-Journal . WHAS.
  3. ↑ "HBE Home Page". kynect.
  4. ↑ Gillespie, Lisa (October 4, 2016). "Kynect No More: Bevin's Move To Federal Exchange Approved". WFPL.
  5. ↑ Kynect is coming back. Beshear plans to revive state health insurance exchange.
  6. ↑ State relaunching improved ‘kynect’ system for benefits
  7. ↑ "Nearly 11,000 complete application for coverage". WYMT-TV. October 4, 2013. Archived from the original on October 7, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Kentucky is Ahead in Health Insurance Enrollment". The New York Times. October 31, 2013.
  9. ↑ Wheatley, Kevin (April 23, 2014). "Gov. Beshear touts kynect success". The State Journal (Frankfort) .
  10. ↑ State relaunching improved ‘kynect’ system for benefits
  11. ↑ Kentucky governor relaunches kynect with expanded mission [ permanent dead link ]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.