Uninsured Won't Be Able to Enroll in Obamacare Right Now

Uninsured Americans will not have Obamacare as an option. The White House on Tuesday night confirmed to Politico that no special enrollment period would take place, though the official told the site the Trump administration is "exploring other options." The annual open enrollment period closed in December, and the reopening was a possibility that President Trump had floated in March. The newly unemployed will still have access to the exchanges, as the law does permit a special enrollment for those who have lost their employer-provided plan.

Still, the New York Times reports that under that scenario, the newly unemployed need to show proof that their coverage has ended; a special enrollment period would have made things a bit easier by eliminating that requirement. NBC News reports the decision is related only to the federal government, which runs the exchanges in a majority of states. Others have their own exchanges, and 11 states—including New York, Washington, and California—have instituted a special enrollment period.