Health Law 2019 Sign-Ups Drop, But Beat Dire Predictions With Help From Last-Minute Surge
The number who enrolled totaled 8.45 million, down from 8.82 million at the same point last year -- a decrease of about 4 percent. Sign-ups had been lagging at about 10 percent throughout the open enrollment season despite a more stable marketplace and lower premiums. While Democrats blamed the lower numbers on the Trump administration's efforts to undermine the law, CMS officials say a lower employment rate contributed to more people finding insurance elsewhere.
The Associated Press:
Obama Health Law Sign-Ups Beat Forecast Despite Headwinds
The Affordable Care Act has yet again beaten predictions of its downfall, as government figures released Wednesday showed unexpectedly solid sign-ups for health coverage next year. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said nearly 8.5 million people had enrolled as of last Saturday's deadline, with about a dozen states, including California and New York, still left to report. The preliminary number was down about 4 percent, when a much bigger loss had been expected. (12/19)
The New York Times:
Despite Challenges, Health Exchange Enrollment Falls Only Slightly
In the open enrollment period that ended on Saturday, the number of sign-ups totaled 8.45 million, down from 8.82 million at the same point last year, a drop of about 367,000, or 4 percent, despite warnings that a more precipitous drop could be in the offing. Democrats have repeatedly accused President Trump of sabotaging the Affordable Care Act and its marketplace by promoting short-term health policies with skimpier coverage, substantially cutting enrollment promotion efforts and nearly eliminating funds for “navigators” who help potential enrollees through the process. Congress also zeroed out the health law’s penalty for not being covered, starting in 2019. But Seema Verma, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said that “enrollment remained steady through HealthCare.gov.” (Pear, 12/19)
Reuters:
Sign-Ups For 2019 Obamacare Insurance Fall To 8.5 Million People
Enrollment had been running about 10 percent lower but picked up during the past week, reflecting a typical trend of last-minute shopping, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma said in a call with reporters. Verma said the decrease was due to increased employment, which typically means more people had employer-based health insurance, and that about 100,000 people with Obamacare insurance in Virginia became eligible for the expanded Medicaid program there. (12/19)
The Washington Post:
Last-Minute Scramble For ACA Plans Appears Unaffected By Court Ruling
After just completing its sixth annual enrollment season, the federal insurance marketplace created under the ACA “is far from dead and remarkably resilient,” said Larry Levitt, senior vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health policy group. He noted, however, that the number of first-time enrollees dropped by 15 percent from last year. The number of returning customers was marginally higher than last year. (Goldstein, 12/19)
The Wall Street Journal:
Affordable Care Act Sign-Ups Lag Behind Last Year’s
Analysts say many factors are behind the enrollment slowdown. They cite a general lack of public awareness about open enrollment; repeal of the federal penalty on people who don’t have health insurance; and the proliferation of health plans that don’t comply with the ACA. In addition, last week’s ruling by a Texas federal judge in Texas invalidating the ACA, at least for now—which came just before the busiest enrollment days—may have affected sign-ups. (Armour, 12/19)
Politico:
Obamacare Sign-Ups See Late Surge
Though the federal judge's ruling against the health care law appears not to have dampened interest in the final day of open enrollment, Democratic lawmakers say it may have ramifications in the coming weeks. “Right now, a single mother who signed up for coverage during the open enrollment period is trying to make a decision about whether or not she ought to pay her premium," said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Finance Committee. (Ollstein and Demko, 12/19)