Open Enrollment Has “Surged”
The numbers are in, and one thing is clear: Americans want affordable, quality health coverage. While Republicans have thrown everything but the kitchen sick at the Affordable Care Act open enrollment period to stifle sign ups, Americans are signing up for health coverage in record numbers. The Washington Post highlights the surge in enrollment through HealthCare.gov and state exchanges. Highlights here:
“The number of consumers signing up for plans under the Affordable Care Act has surged during the first few days of open enrollment compared with past years, according to federal and state officials.”
“More than 200,000 Americans chose a plan on Nov. 1, the day open enrollment began, according to one Trump administration official. That’s more than double the number of consumers who signed up on the first day of enrollment last year. More than 1 million people visited HeathCare.gov, the official federal website, the official said, amounting to roughly a 33 percent increase in traffic compared with 2016.”
“Several state exchange officials — including in New York, Connecticut, Colorado, Idaho and Washington — said Tuesday that they have seen upticks.”
“In New York, according to Department of Health spokeswoman Erin Silk, more than 140,000 people visited the state’s website and 73,000 placed calls to its customer service line ‘in just the first three days.’”
“In Rhode Island, enrollment this year is five times higher in the first week than it was last year, said Zach Sherman, the director of HealthSource R.I. An early outreach campaign by the state seems to have paid off with more than 500 people enrolling, compared to 109 people in the first week last year.”
“Connect for Health Colorado spokesman Luke Clarke said state officials had expected that 2,700 residents would call exchange operators on the first day, which would have been on par with 2016, but 3,406 did. ‘It’s way ahead of where we were last year, and a big surprise,’ he said.”
“That same day in Connecticut, 1,596 residents enrolled in qualified health plans on the state exchange while another 2,293 people either completed Medicaid applications or determined that they were eligible for that program. Access Health CT CEO Jim Wadleigh said in a statement that the state’s call center and website experienced a 15 percent increase in volume compared to opening day last year.”
“More than 200,000 Americans chose a plan on Nov. 1, the day open enrollment began, according to one Trump administration official. That’s more than double the number of consumers who signed up on the first day of enrollment last year. More than 1 million people visited HeathCare.gov, the official federal website, the official said, amounting to roughly a 33 percent increase in traffic compared with 2016.”
“Several state exchange officials — including in New York, Connecticut, Colorado, Idaho and Washington — said Tuesday that they have seen upticks.”
“In New York, according to Department of Health spokeswoman Erin Silk, more than 140,000 people visited the state’s website and 73,000 placed calls to its customer service line ‘in just the first three days.’”
“In Rhode Island, enrollment this year is five times higher in the first week than it was last year, said Zach Sherman, the director of HealthSource R.I. An early outreach campaign by the state seems to have paid off with more than 500 people enrolling, compared to 109 people in the first week last year.”
“Connect for Health Colorado spokesman Luke Clarke said state officials had expected that 2,700 residents would call exchange operators on the first day, which would have been on par with 2016, but 3,406 did. ‘It’s way ahead of where we were last year, and a big surprise,’ he said.”
“That same day in Connecticut, 1,596 residents enrolled in qualified health plans on the state exchange while another 2,293 people either completed Medicaid applications or determined that they were eligible for that program. Access Health CT CEO Jim Wadleigh said in a statement that the state’s call center and website experienced a 15 percent increase in volume compared to opening day last year.”