The incoming Trump administration may wish to alter current operational Marketplace enrollment standards and may narrow opportunities for enrollment. For example, the Trump administration may do away with certain special enrollment opportunities created by the Biden administration, shorten the open enrollment window for states using Healthcare.gov, or allow state-based exchanges more leniency in setting different open enrollment periods. The first Trump administration reduced the length of the open enrollment period.
In his first term, President Trump’s administration allowed enhanced direct enrollment sites (EDEs), which permit brokers to enroll people in ACA Marketplace coverage directly through a web broker website, bypassing Healthcare.gov. More recently, there have been concerns that some brokers are fraudulently enrolling or switching plans without the consumer’s consent. The Biden administration has responded by suspending certain brokers and taking other steps to ensure consumers consent to any changes in their coverage. The incoming Trump administration may take additional action to curb fraud. There are many possible approaches to addressing fraud, some of which could make it harder for consumers to enroll in coverage.
