Minnesota issues 2019 ACA Open Enrollment Period Week 1 Update...sort of.

MNsure, Minnesota's ACA exchange, posted a Week One enrollment update yesterday, and while it's generally positive, there's not much in the way of the key data I'm always seeking:

MNsure Update on First Week of Open Enrollment
November 8, 2018

ST. PAUL, Minn.—MNsure CEO, Nate Clark, issued the following statement recapping the first full week of open enrollment:

“This year’s open enrollment continues to go smoothly with consistently low wait times throughout the first week. With lower rates across the state, we have seen a steady stream of Minnesotans signing up for health coverage. We encourage Minnesotans to visit MNsure.org to see if they are eligible for exclusive tax credits that could lower their monthly premiums.”

This year to date, MNsure has renewed more people into coverage than ever before. Open enrollment figures will be released next Wednesday (11/14) at MNsure’s public board meeting at 1 p.m.

By the numbers 
As of end of day, November 7 

• MNsure.org visits: 187,135 
• Plan comparison shopping sessions: 33,284 
• Calls: 9,822 
• Average wait time: 1 second

MNsure's sixth open enrollment period runs November 1, 2018, to January 13, 2019. Individuals earning up to $48,560 a year, or a family of four earning up to $100,400 a year, could qualify for federal tax credits. Additional income guidelines are available on the MNsure website. MNsure's customer service guide is located here. More information can be found at mnsure.org

For what it's worth, this is pretty much identical to how they handled reporting last year:

"The first seven days of this year’s open enrollment period have gone smoothly. We are off to a strong start and doing a steady business of enrolling Minnesotans in health care coverage. Market disruptions last year— including a large jump in premiums, a major carrier pulling out of the market, the first year of enrollment caps as well as other factors—drove large numbers of consumers to our doors in the first few days of last year’s enrollment period. This year, we are seeing a much steadier flow of traffic to the website that is more in line with what we would expect. Call wait times have been consistently low throughout this first week.”

This year, MNsure renewed more people into coverage than ever before. Open enrollment figures will be released next Wednesday at MNsure’s public board meeting.

By the numbers (as of noon today):

• MNsure.org visits: 200,578
• Plan comparison shopping sessions: 33,411
• Calls: 10,684

7% fewer website visits, 8% fewer calls, but almost the exact same number of window shopping visits and "more renewals" than last year. This suggest enrollment rates are pretty much even year over year.