CoverME.gov, the Nation’s Newest State-based Marketplace, Drives Increased Enrollment for the State of Maine

Updated on April 1, 2022

IdeaCrew, a Washington, DC-based leading provider of State-based Marketplace (SBM) solutions and services, announces the successful implementation and completion of open enrollment for CoverME.gov, the State of Maine’s new Marketplace. 

CoverME.gov offers Mainers statewide access to competitive medical and dental insurance plans, along with financial assistance for residents who qualify, through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The CoverME.gov platform launched in early October for broker registration. Shortly after, on November 1, 2021, CoverME.gov opened to all Maine households to apply for federal subsidies and enroll in 2022 healthcare coverage. 66,095 Mainers selected plans for affordable health insurance for 2022, which is an increase of more than 10 percent over the previous year.

Using IdeaCrew’s built-to-purpose SBM technology and staff expertise, Maine’s team readied CoverME.gov for launch in record time, going live only eight months following contract signing in February 2021. 

The full-scope project included migrating existing resident’s accounts and financial assistance applications to the SBM from Healthcare.gov (the Federally Facilitated Exchange system), implementing a financial assistance eligibility determination component, integrating with Maine’s Medicaid system and establishing enrollment exchanges with insurance carriers’ systems. In addition, establishing and implementing an integrated customer relationship management system for the Consumer Assistance Center.

“The launch of CoverME.gov has been a great step forward in Maine’s work to expand access to affordable, quality coverage,” said Meg Garratt-Reed, Director of Maine’s Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace. “Capitalizing on increased financial assistance for consumers from the federal government, and new opportunities to customize the platform for Maine people, we made gains in enrollment for the first time in three years, and look forward to working with IdeaCrew to continue to enhance and simplify the application experience for CoverME.gov customers.”

With CoverME.gov, consumers now have access to new interactive resources such as the plan comparison, cost estimator, formulary and doctor lookup tools, as well as simplified “Clear Choice” plans to help make the right medical plan selection. Introducing better options and support to help in selecting health coverage are some of the key benefits and reasons for states to setup their own SBM. 

“IdeaCrew has devised a formula to both build and operate affordable SBM and Insurance Affordability Program solutions by combining a seasoned SBM policy and operations staff, state-of-the-art technology architecture housed in a secure cloud environment and agile software development processes.” IdeaCrew founder and CEO, Dan Thomas said. “Transitioning to a State-based Marketplace delivers a host of benefits, and we are proud to play a leading role in expanding Mainers’ access to healthcare coverage in our streamlined model.”

With conclusion of the initial implementation, the state of Maine plans to leverage IdeaCrew’s expertise for continued operations and maintenance support as well as future enhancements. 

About IdeaCrew Inc.

Established in 2002 with headquarters in Washington DC, IdeaCrew is a full IT services company and leading provider of State-based Marketplace systems and large organization benefit enrollment solutions. For more information, please visit ideacrew.com.

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The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.