State of Maine Health Insurance Exchange Guide and FAQs

If you're a Maine resident looking for health insurance, you're in the right place. The state of Maine Health Insurance Exchange is a marketplace where you can compare and purchase health plans from various insurance companies.

The exchange is also known as Maine's Health Insurance Marketplace, and it's open to residents who are uninsured or underinsured. You can apply for coverage during the annual open enrollment period, which typically runs from November to December.

To be eligible for a subsidy, your income must be between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. This means that if you're a single person with an income of $12,760 or less, or a family of four with an income of $26,500 or less, you may qualify for financial assistance.

You can apply for coverage online, over the phone, or in person with the help of a certified application counselor.

Maine has launched its own state-run health insurance marketplace, coverme.gov, which replaces healthcare.gov for purchasing insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

The new website, coverme.gov, allows Mainers to shop for and enroll in health plans in one location, making it easier to see options and compare plans.

Starting Nov. 1, people signing up for ACA insurance in Maine will go through the coverme.gov website rather than the federal government’s healthcare.gov website.

About 55,000 people in Maine have ACA marketplace insurance, down from about 70,000 in 2019, largely because Maine expanded Medicaid that year.

The Biden administration beefed up subsidies for ACA enrollees through the American Rescue Plan bill, and now 25 percent of enrollees have a monthly premium of $10 or less.

Maine joins 15 other states that already run their own marketplaces through a state-based online system, including all other New England states except New Hampshire.

New Mexico and Kentucky are also introducing their own state-based health insurance platforms alongside Maine on Nov. 1.

Maine’s state-run marketplace allows for more control and personalization of outreach efforts, making it easier for residents to get information about coverage options.

The state-run marketplace can also better target outreach activities and work more efficiently with other state agencies to link people to the marketplace for assistance.

Starting November 1st, CoverME.gov will open as Maine’s new State-based Health Insurance Marketplace.

Open enrollment begins Nov 1, 2021, and the deadline is December 15 for coverage to begin on January 15, 2022.

Free enrollment help is available to help consumers find the plan that meets their needs and budget.

All private health plans offered on CoverME.gov provide quality, comprehensive coverage that will protect consumers if they have an accident or major illness.

This year, increased financial help is available to make coverage more affordable – for more people – than ever before.