Via MNsure:

More Than 132k Minnesotans Will Have a Full Year of Quality, Comprehensive Health Insurance in 2024

A new early sign-up record as MNsure celebrates its ten-year anniversary

ST. PAUL, Minn.—MNsure is pleased to report that 132,789 Minnesotans signed up for 2024 health insurance through Minnesota’s official health insurance marketplace between November 1 and December 15, 2023.

“Over 132,000 Minnesotans will welcome the new year with the peace of mind and security of a full year of high-quality, comprehensive coverage through MNsure,” said MNsure CEO Libby Caulum.

This incredible start to MNsure’s annual enrollment period sets a new early enrollment record for the marketplace. Private health plan sign-ups have increased by 11% compared to the same time last year. With enhanced federal tax credits available only through MNsure, eligible families will save $6,750 in 2024, on average, and spend 5% less on private health plan premiums than they did this year.

Back on November 5th, just a few days into the 2024 Open Enrollment Period, I did some back-of-the-math number crunching and concluded that the odds were pretty good that total 2024 OEP ACA enrollment (including both exchange-based Qualified Health Plans, or QHPs, as well as enrollment in Basic Health Plans (BHPs) in New York & Minnesota only) would break 19 million people for the first time in the ACA's history.

This was based on some simple assumptions:

via CoverME.gov, Maine's state-based ACA exchange:

Plan Selection Snapshot

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace (OHIM) will release biweekly updates on plan selections through CoverME.gov, Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.  

Plan selections provide a snapshot of activity by new and returning consumers who have selected a plan for 2024. “Plan selections” become “enrollments” once consumers have paid their first monthly premium to begin insurance. These numbers are subject to change as consumers may modify or cancel plans after their initial selection.   

The deadline to select a plan for coverage beginning January 1, 2024 is December 15, 2023. Consumers who select a plan between December 16, 2023 and January 16, 2024 will have coverage beginning February 1, 2024. 

CoverME.gov Activity Through December 12, 2023

Good grief. I have no idea how I missed this legislation. I had read about and even written about it several times over the past several years, but I sort of lost track of it since the COVID pandemic hit.

Back in 2016, California passed a bill which extened eligibility for Medi-Cal (California's brand name for Medicaid) to around 170,000 undocumented children statewide...although this ultimately ended up resulting in around 250,000 children being added to the roles.

Then, in 2019, California's expansion of Medicaid to undocumented residents moved to the next phase: Around 100,000 more young undocumented adults aged 19 - 25 years old.

Mississippi, Nebraska

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been a bit odd when it comes to announcing new states joining the 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage approval. Sometimes they issue a fully-detailed press release, as they did with Missouri a month ago; other times, like today, they just sort of throw a quick mention into a larger "roundup" post:

CMS Approves Postpartum Coverage Extensions for Nebraska & Mississippi

Via the Augusta Free Press:

Friday is the last day for Virginia residents to apply for health care coverage that starts on January 1, 2024.

Any healthcare coveragesecured after December 15 and before Open Enrollment ends on January 15 will begin on February 1, 2024.

The Virginia Insurance Marketplace reminds Virginians to apply now for 2024. 

After the Open Enrollment period ends January 15, Virginians experiencing a Qualifying Life Event such as having a baby or losing health insurance coverage may be eligible to enroll during a Special Enrollment Period. 

Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace replaced HealthCare.gov for all Virginians and launched on November 1, 2023. Marketplace provides a wealth of resources for residents to find affordable health care coverage. Hundreds of thousands of Virginians have accessed the Marketplace this Open Enrollment Period to find coverage that meets their needs.  

BeWell NM

BeWell NM, New Mexico's state-based ACA exchange, has launched a very handy new Enrollment Data portal which includes plenty of info for a data hound like myself to pore over. The initial 2024 Open Enrollment Period numbers are impressive...but also a bit misleading if you don't know how the exchange enters data.

First, the top line numbers (as of 12/14/23):

  • Number of enrolled consumers: 50,442
  • Consumers enrolled in Medical coverage: 49,765
  • Consumers enrolled in Dental coverage: 12,321

While dental coverage is also important, standalone dental plans aren't considered Qualified Health Plans (QHPs); it's the "Medical Coverage" which is the key number here.

Also, the total number above may look confusing, but most of the Medical & Dental coverage enrollees overlap:

  • Medical Only: 38,121
  • Dental Only: 677
  • Medical + Dental: 11,644

For comparison, last year BeWell NM reported enrolling just 37,056 peple (including auto-renewals) through December 17th.

This breaks out to:

Via Access Health CT's News/Press Releases page:

Stats as of December 8, 2023

Qualified Health Plans (QHP):

  • QHP Enrollment In 2023 Coverage: 117,516
  • 2024 OE Acquisition Summary: 18,531

Medicaid:

  • Completed applications/redeterminations processed through the integrated eligibility system: 37,734

It's my understanding that "Acquisition Summary" refers to CT residents who are brand-new enrollees (never enrolled via the exchange before).

The 117.5K figure includes auto-renewals being piled on top of the new/active renewal tally.

By comparison, last year Access Health CT reported enrolling 101,793 people through December 15th (one extra day since Nov. 1st fell on a Tuesday last year); this also included auto-renewals:

  • 2023: 101,793 in 45 days (2,262/day)
  • 2024: 117,516 in 44 days (2,671/day)

In other words, Connect's ACA exchange has enrolled 18% more people per day so far.

via the Maine Governor's Office website:

Friday is the last day to enroll to ensure coverage for January 2024

Belgrade, MAINE – During a visit to Belgrade Regional Health Center today, Governor Mills reminded Maine residents who lack affordable health coverage that Friday, December 15, 2023, is the deadline to sign up through CoverME.gov, Maine’s health insurance marketplace, for an affordable health plan that starts at the beginning of the new year.

The Governor urged Maine people to act to prevent gaps in coverage that could result in barriers to health care or unaffordable bills. Maine people who sign up by 11:59 p.m. Friday will have coverage effective on January 1, 2024.

Consumers who enroll after Friday’s deadline will miss coverage for January 2024 but – if they sign up by January 16 – will qualify for health insurance that takes effect on February 1, 2024.

via the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):

U.S. health care spending grew 4.1% to reach $4.5 trillion in 2022, faster than the increase of 3.2% in 2021, but much slower than the rate of 10.6% in 2020. The growth in 2022 reflected strong growth in Medicaid and private health insurance spending that was somewhat offset by continued declines in supplemental funding by the federal government associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Assuming the U.S. population is ~335 million, that averages out to around $13,432 apiece.

In 2022, the insured share of the population reached 92% (a historic high). Private health insurance enrollment increased by 2.9 million individuals and Medicaid enrollment increased by 6.1 million individuals. In 2022, 26.6 million individuals were uninsured, down from 28.5 million in 2021 (a difference of 1.9 million individuals). 

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