Enrollment Doubles in Federal High-Risk Pool

January 19, 2011: The Health and Human Services Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (OCIIO) reported yesterday that enrollment in the federal high-risk insurance pool—the “Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan” or “PCIP”—has doubled in the past month, following the introduction of new plan options at the start of the calendar year.

This increase represents a significant shift for PCIP enrollment trends:  As of November 2010, PCIP had enrolled only 10,000 of its 200,000 member cap, with premium affordability cited as a likely problem for many potential enrollees.  In response to low enrollment, PCIP introduced new benefit design options at the beginning of this month, giving enrollees a choice between two price points for premiums and deductibles, and separating the deductibles for medical and pharmacy services.  A health savings account (HSA) option and a child-only rate were also introduced this month.

PCIP was created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as a temporary means of covering uninsured people with pre-existing conditions until 2014, at which time insurers will no longer be able to deny coverage based on a person’s medical history.