Federal Officials Detail State Obamacare Enrollment Numbers
News outlets report on state-specific sign-up tallies and remind consumers that the health law's first deadline this open season is fast approaching.
Health News Florida:
Florida Insurers Compete With 'Cost-Share' Plans
The latest numbers from federal health officials show Florida is continuing to lead in enrollment on HealthCare.gov, with nearly 600,000 who have signed up so far. "We're so pleased with the reduction in uninsured,” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said after enrollment numbers were released Wednesday afternoon. “We also know there are still many folks in Florida who don't have coverage.” (Watts, 12/9)
Miami Herald:
Nearly 600,000 Floridians Signed Up For Obamacare Plans So Far, Feds Say
Five weeks into open enrollment season, nearly 600,000 Floridians have signed up for coverage through the Affordable Care Act's insurance exchange at healthcare.gov, federal health officials reported Wednesday. Among the 38 states using the federal exchange, including Florida, about 2.8 million Americans have signed up for a plan, including about one million new consumers and about 1.8 million who renewed their coverage. (Chang, 12/9)
The Associated Press:
Officials Say 11,000 West Virginians Sign Up For Health Care
Federal officials say more than 11,000 West Virginia residents have signed up for the health insurance marketplace during the open enrollment period that began Nov. 1. Open enrollment runs through Jan. 31. However, people who need coverage starting Jan. 1 face a Dec. 15 deadline for signing up. (12/10)
The Tennessean:
ACA Sees Jump In Tennessee Enrollees
Tennessee saw the number of people enrolled jump from 62,922 to 88,007 in just a week's span — a stunning increase in enrollment. An average of 3,583 people across the state signed up each day of that week, according to new numbers from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Fletcher, 12/9)
The Richmond Times-Dispatch:
ACA Open Enrollment Deadline Nearing
With five days left before the first sign-up deadline, officials expect a surge of people logging on to Healthcare.gov to make sure they have coverage starting Jan. 1. As of Dec. 5, a total of 120,375 people in Virginia had made plan selections on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. (Smith, 12/9)
Concord (N.H.) Monitor:
Dec. 15 Is Season’s First Deadline For Getting Health Insurance
The deadline is the first of several as part of the annual sign-ups for Obamacare, and this year there’s more incentive to participate because penalties for not having insurance continue to rise. ... It’s the first time that penalties are large enough that they exceed the cost of policies for some people, after income-based subsidies are applied. ... As of Dec. 5, 13,458 New Hampshire residents have signed up via the marketplace. It’s unclear how many are charging policies and how many had no previous health insurance. (Brooks, 12/10)
The Columbus Dispatch:
Obamacare Penalty For Uninsured Will Grow 47% In 2016
Individuals eligible to buy a health-insurance plan through a government-run marketplace will face an average penalty of $969 per household if they forgo coverage in 2016, according to a report issued on Wednesday. (Sutherly, 12/10)
