Yes, that's right: We're quickly approaching the next big deadline: Private policy enrollment in time for coverage starting on February 1st.
Of the 3 monthly deadlines (January 1st start, February 1st start, March 1st start), this is the one getting the lowest amount of hype, for obvious reasons. The December 15th (or December 18, 23 or later, depending on the state) deadline was a huge deal because millions of people had to be renewed (either actively or automatically) in order to avoid any sort of a coverage gap, while a few million more people new to the exchanges jumped on board in time to start 2015 running. By my estimate, there should have been roughly 8.6 million people whose 2015 policies started on Jan. 1st.
The total numbers aren't much higher than the last update, but that's understandable; this official report only includes 3 more days, including a quiet holiday weekend:
As of Jan. 4, 156,305 Marylanders have enrolled in quality, affordable health coverage for calendar year 2015, since the 90-day open enrollment period began Nov. 15. That includes 87,348 people enrolled in private Qualified Health Plans and 68,957 people enrolled in Medicaid.
Marylanders can enroll by Jan. 18 for coverage effective Feb. 1 and, if eligible, for an Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC) to immediately lower their monthly insurance bills. Marylanders who were enrolled for 2014 should re-enroll by Jan. 18 for an Advanced Premium Tax Credit that begins Feb. 1. They will receive any tax credit owed for January 2015 when they file their federal income tax return in 2016.
Open enrollment for 2015 for Maryland Health Connection ends Feb. 15.
On it's surface, this sounds like a decent but not amazing update: Up 2,600 since 12/28. However, consider this: 86,347 QHP selections is up 6,360 since MD's January coverage deadline of 12/18. That means they're still enrolling new people at 454 per day for coverage starting in February...as opposed to the 339/day that they averaged duing the entire first open enrollment period. That's a rate over 33% faster.
As of Dec. 28, a total of 146,529 Marylanders have enrolled in quality, affordable health coverage for calendar year 2015 since the 90-day open enrollment period began Nov. 15. That includes 83,735 individuals enrolled in private Qualified Health Plans (QHP) and 62,794 individuals enrolled in Medicaid.
At 83,735 enrollments so far, MD has now enrolled 24% more people than they did during all of the 2014 open enrollment period (67,757 thru April 19th).
Put another way, they've enrolled 375 people per day since their January deadline, which is still 11% faster than the 338/day they averaged during the first open enrollment period (including the December and March surges).
Add another 62,794 to Medicaid and MD's turnaround for 2015 is quite impressive indeed.
Maryland's previous update, which included their 12/18 deadline for January coverage was just shy of 80K QHPs, or an average of 2,353 enrollments per day since 11/15.
More Than 136,000 Marylanders Have Enrolled for Jan. 1 Coverage in State’s Health Insurance Marketplace
December 19th, 2014
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor O’Malley announced today that Maryland Health Connection, the state-based health insurance marketplace for individuals, families and small businesses, enrolled 136,685 individuals from the start of open enrollment onNov. 15 to last night’s deadline for coverage that begins Jan. 1.
That total includes 79,987 people signed up for private Qualified Health Plans (QHPs). More than three-quarters of QHP enrollees, or 61,448, are eligible for an Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC) — upfront financial assistance to reduce their monthly insurance premiums. An additional 56,698 have enrolled in Medicaid since Nov. 15 through Maryland Health Connection. Open enrollment continues through Feb. 15, 2015.
Hmmm...this is different; I'm pretty sure this is the first time that I've been quoted in a formal enrollment data press release...
MARYLAND HEALTH BENEFIT EXCHANGE BOARD CELEBRATES PROGRESS OF OPEN ENROLLMENT
Exchange enrolls more than 100,000 at one month mark
BALTIMORE (Dec. 16, 2014) — The Board of Directors of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange (MHBE) today celebrated the progress of the Maryland Health Connection one month into its open enrollment. More than 100,000 Marylanders have signed up for 2015 health coverage.
Maryland Health Connection has enrolled 105,902 people — including 61,031 in Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) and 41,871 in Medicaid. By comparison, during the first open enrollment a year ago, 1,278 Marylanders enrolled in private QHPs through the marketplace during its first 30 days.
A rebuilt website that enables consumers to “browse” plans without needing to create personal accounts, a much larger schedule of enrollment fairs across the state than a year ago and additional “storefront” spaces where Marylanders can get assistance enrolling in person have helped propel the improved results. The changes have been noted in the media, including:
As you can see from the graphic I posted yesterday (and had to revise several times throughout the day), the official enrollment deadline for private policies starting on January 1st, 2015 has now passed for all 37 states operating via HealthCare.Gov, as well as residents of DC, Hawaii and Kentucky. It's certainly possible that any or all of these will announce some sort of "special circumstances" allowance for those who didn't make the midnight cut-off (10pm in Alaska), but I'm assuming those would be done strictly on a case-by-case basis.
OK, so what about the remaining 11 states?
Well, 4 of them (MD, MA, RI & WA) had later deadlines for January coverage all along: Maryland on 12/18 (Thursday) and the other 3 on 12/23 (next Tuesday).
New York and Idaho bumped their deadlines out from yesterday until 12/20 (Saturday), although Idaho had previously claimed that their deadline was 12/23, but are now claiming that it was originally 12/15. I still don't understand what happened there, but so be it: 12/20 it is for ID.
STATEMENT FROM ACCESS HEALTH CT ACTING CEO JIM WADLEIGH ON TONIGHT’S OPEN ENROLLMENT DEADLINE FOR HEALTH CARE COVERAGE BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2015
Hartford, Conn. (December 15, 2014) – In advance of tonight’s midnight deadline for coverage beginning January 1, Access Health CT (AHCT) Acting CEO Jim Wadleigh has released the following statement:
“The deadline to sign up for quality, affordable health care coverage that begins on January 1, 2015 is tonight at midnight. If customers have an application started and select a plan before midnight tonight, they can still get coverage beginning January 1, as long as they complete the application and get us all the relevant information by midnight this Friday, December 19.
The latest official report from the MD exchange...
Enrollment Report (Thru Dec. 11, 2014)
More than 80,000 Marylanders have enrolled in advance of Dec. 18 deadline for full 2015 health coverage
Overview
As of Dec. 11, a total of 80,354 Marylanders have enrolled in quality, affordable health coverage for calendar year 2015 since the 90-day open enrollment period began Nov. 15.
This includes 45,014 individuals enrolled in private Qualified Health Plans and 35,340 individuals enrolled in Medicaid. Marylanders must enroll or renew their plans by Dec. 18 for insurance that starts New Year’s Day and, if they qualify, to receive an Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC) beginning then. Open enrollment for 2015 ends Feb. 15.
Again, for comparison: Last year, Maryland scored a grand total of 67,757 QHP enrollments through the April 19th open enrollment cut-off (6 1/2 months).
This year, they've already reached 2/3 of that in under 4 weeks.
