A report today from the Department of Health and Human Services says that more than 100,000 people have successfully signed up for health insurance using the department’s insurance marketplace.
Detailing results of the first reporting period (Oct. 1-Nov. 2, 2013) of the Health Insurance Marketplace’s Open Enrollment, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Wednesday that 106,185 individuals have selected plans from the Marketplace, and another 975,407 have made it through the process by applying and receiving an eligibility determination, but have not yet selected a plan. An additional 396,261 have been determined or assessed eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the release said.
“The promise of quality affordable coverage is increasingly becoming reality for this first wave of applicants to the Health Insurance Marketplaces,” Sebelius said in the statement. “There is no doubt the level of interest is strong. We expect enrollment will grow substantially throughout the next five months, mirroring the pattern that Massachusetts experienced. We also expect that the numbers will grow as the website, HealthCare.gov, continues to make steady improvements.”
The following key findings are among many newly available data reported today in an issue brief from HHS that highlights national and state-level enrollment-related information from HHS:
- 502,466 Americans, in just the first month of implementation, are positioned to have health coverage in 2014;
- Of those, 106,185 Americans have selected plans from the state and federal Marketplaces; and
- 396,261 Americans have been determined or assessed eligible for Medicaid or CHIP;
- 975,407 have made it through the process by applying and receiving an eligibility determination and have not yet selected a plan.
Today’s report includes breakouts of enrollment-related data by state, including each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report groups the states into the Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) (defined as those states where HHS is running the Marketplace or states where HHS is doing so in partnership), and state-based Marketplaces (SBMs). In some cases only a partial SBM dataset was available.
Enrollment figures include those who have selected a plan and have or have not yet paid the first month’s premium. Forthcoming data will enumerate those who applied directly to a state Medicaid/CHIP office, the release said.
The report characterizes past experiences in health insurance enrollment patterns, noting typical low initial enrollment in, for example, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Medicare Part D, Massachusetts’ Commonwealth Care, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan created under the Affordable Care Act.
The report also addresses Marketplace customer service, outreach and web traffic. It found that there have been an estimated 26,876,527 visitors on the SBM and FFM websites. There have also been an estimated 3,158,436 calls to the SBM and FFM call centers.
For the full text of the report, “Initial Enrollment-Related Activity in the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces,” please visit: https://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2013/MarketPlaceEnrollment/rpt_enrollment.pdf
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