Federal Exchange Sign-Ups Top 560K in Open Enrollment’s Third Week

More than 560,000 U.S. residents signed up for health coverage through the federal exchange during the third week of the Affordable Care Act's third open enrollment period, according to data released by the Obama administration last week, The Hill reports (Ferris, The Hill, 11/25).

The data include signups that occurred from Nov. 15 to Nov. 21 (CMS release, 11/25). Thirty-eight states use the federal exchange.

Background

The administration has estimated that about 10 million U.S. residents will be enrolled in health coverage purchased through the ACA's exchanges by the end of 2016. About 9.9 million U.S. residents are currently enrolled in exchange plans, but that number likely will drop to 9.1 million by the end of 2015.

The administration has launched a new advertising campaign to encourage U.S. residents who remain uninsured -- particularly those with low incomes -- to sign up for health coverage. Further, HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell said the administration will highlight the rising penalties that uninsured individuals face under the ACA's individual mandate.

In addition, administration officials are focusing sign-up efforts on five areas with high uninsured rates:

• Chicago;
• Dallas;
• Houston;
• Miami; and
• Northern New Jersey (California Healthline, 11/13).

Enrollment Details

According to the administration, about one-third of those who enrolled in federal exchange plans during the open enrollment period's third week did so for the first time. The remainder of those who signed up for federal exchange coverage during the third week re-enrolled in federal exchange plans (Howell, Washington Times, 11/25).

Earlier this month, CMS reported that about 1.1 million U.S. residents signed up for federal exchange coverage during the first two weeks of open enrollment (California Healthline, 11/13). That number has now increased to nearly 1.6 million enrollees (Washington Times, 11/25).