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
Steven Lynn Beshear (born September 21, 1944) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 61st governor of Kentucky from 2007 to 2015. He served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1974 to 1980, was the state's 44th atto ...
in accordance with the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and colloquially known as Obamacare, is a landmark U.S. federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by Presi ...
. Steve Beshear's successor as governor,
Matt Bevin, ended Kynect enrollment for individuals as of 2017. From 2017-2020, the marketplace operated a web site for small business owners. 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. Kynect was officially relaunched on October 5, 2020 with full implementation expected by January 2022.
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. ''
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. By April 15, 2014, over 410,000 Kentuckians had signed up for health care plans through kynect.
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
Snap or SNAP may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Snap'', the original release title for the 2013 film ''Enter the Dangerous Mind''
*''Snap'' (TV series), a CITV programme
* ''The Stanly News and Press'', a newspaper in Albemarle, North Carol ...
food assistance benefits along with other family and childcare assistance programs. Kynect, like Benefind, will link to the federally run health insurance marketplace (
healthcare.gov) until open enrollment in 2021. At that time, the state anticipates returning to a state run health insurance marketplace through kynect in time for policies to take effect in January 2022.
Kentucky governor relaunches kynect with expanded mission
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Participating insurance providers at the time of the 2017 shutdown
*Anthem
An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...
*Blue Grass Family Health
* CareSource
* Humana
*Kentucky Health Cooperative
* United Healthcare
*WellCare
WellCare Health Plans, Inc. is an American health insurance company that provides managed care services primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug plans for members across the United States.
WellCare began ...
References
External links
kynect
Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange
{{PPACA , state=expanded
Kentucky
Healthcare in Kentucky
Kentucky