Rhode Island: 32K QHPs thru 12/15 with 2 weeks left to go (~11% ahead of last year)

This isn't an official update, but it's all I have for now. Back on November 29th, the Providence Business News reported that HealthSourceRI, Rhode Island's ACA exchange, was reporting 31,000 QHP selections (including auto-renewals).

Saturday, in response to the insane #TexasFoldEm judicial ruling, RI Governor Gina Raimondo was quoted for a response; the article at WPRI.com states that:

More than 32,000 people have signed up so far for coverage beginning January 2019, according to HealthSource RI.  

"This does not change anything about coverage people currently access through HealthSource RI, nor does it change our current open enrollment period," Sherman said.

Sherman encourages those who need health insurance to sign up before open enrollment ends.  You have until December 31st, although officials recommend you sign up before the 23rd.

Last year RI enrolled 33,021 people, so they still have 2 more weeks to tack on another thousand or so and break last year's total.

UPDATE: This is actually a slightly older article, but it includes hard numbers for both this year and last:

Enrollment for health care through Rhode Island’s Affordable Care Act exchange, HealthSource RI, remains ahead of last year’s signups at 11 percent higher than during Dec. 10 last year, at 31,771, but lack of a tax penalty may yet affect signups.

...Sherman is encouraging people to sign up for and pay for their insurance by Dec. 23 to make sure that there’s no lapse in their coverage. More than 80 percent of people who purchase health care coverage from HSRI receive a federal tax credit to help with the costs of insurance.

Of the signups so far, 29,015 are renewing customers, and there are 2,756 new customers signing up. Last year at this time, there were only 28,659 total signups.

Sherman attributed the uptick in signups in part to HSRI’s flexibility as a state-based ACA exchange to pursue its own advertising campaigns and schedule enrollment more effectively as part of the reason for the slight rise despite routine federal challenges to elements of the ACA. In Rhode Island, ACA open enrollment lasts through Dec. 31, weeks past the Dec. 15 federal deadline, which states without state-based exchanges observe.

Yup, that's 10.9% ahead of last year as of 12/10.