New York

With just two days left to go for New Yorkers to #GetCovered, Politico healthcare reporter Dan Goldberg has the latest numbers:

@charles_gaba NY latest numbers 265,209 in QHP 784,202 in EP. Enrollment deadline is tomorrow

— Dan Goldberg (@DanCGoldberg) January 30, 2019

These are solidly impressive numbers. Last year's final tally (including the last two days of Open Enrollment) was:

Believe it or not, the 2019 ACA Open Enrollment Period officially ended last night...but only in 43 states. In the remaining seven (+DC), Open Enrollment hasn't ended yet2019 ACA Open Enrollment is still ongoing for over 23 million people!

In the District of Columbia (population 694,000) and New York (population 19.85 million), open enrollment runs through Jan. 31st for coverage starting March 1st.

BUT ALSO...

New York State of Health continues to roll on with the 2019 ACA Open Enrollment Period. With nine days left for people to enroll, they're now nearly 3% ahead of last year's final QHP selection total:

Press Release: NY State of Health Hosts Online Informational Webinars in Spanish and Mandarin Tomorrow

  • Enrollment Remains Strong During Final Weeks of Open Enrollment
  • Enroll Today! 2019 Open Enrollment Ends January 31, 2019
  • Customer Service Center Hours Extended before Deadline

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 22, 2019) - NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace, today reminded New Yorkers that now is the time to enroll in a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) for 2019 coverage. NY State of Health will hold webinars in Spanish and Mandarin tomorrow night, January 23, 2019. Open Enrollment for 2019 ends January 31. Consumers across the state have a choice of many quality health plans, and financial assistance is available to most individuals who buy coverage through NY State of Health.

I...really don't know what to do with this announcement:

New York City will begin guaranteeing comprehensive health care to every single resident regardless of someone's ability to pay or immigration status, an unprecedented plan that will protect the more than half-a-million New Yorkers currently using the ER as a primary provider, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

It's not health insurance, his spokesman clarified after the surprise announcement on MSNBC Tuesday morning.

"This is the city paying for direct comprehensive care (not just ERs) for people who can't afford it, or can't get comprehensive Medicaid — including 300,000 undocumented New Yorkers," spokesman Eric Phillips tweeted.

At a press conference Tuesday, de Blasio said the plan will provide primary and specialty care, from pediatrics to OBGYN, geriatric, mental health and other services, to the city's roughly 600,000 uninsured.

New York State of Health just became the 6th State-Based Exchange (SBE) to officially surpass last year's final Open Enrollment Period total:

Press Release: NY State of Health Announces Qualified Health Plan Enrollment Tops January 31, 2018 Level
Jan 4, 2019

  • Still Time to Enroll
  • Consumer Demand for Affordable Coverage is High

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 4, 2019) - NY State of Health, New York’s official health plan Marketplace, today announced that as of January 1, 2019 more than 254,000 New Yorkers have enrolled in a Qualified Health Plan (QHP). With less than one month to go in the 2019 Open Enrollment Period, the number of QHP enrollees has already exceeded QHP enrollment at the end of the 2018 Open Enrollment Period.

So, it's over, right? Well...not quite. The 2019 ACA Open Enrollment Period officially ended last night...but only in 43 states. In the remaining seven (+DC), Open Enrollment hasn't ended yet2019 ACA Open Enrollment is still ongoing for nearly 10% of the population!

  • In Massachusetts, open enrollment runs through Jan. 23rd, 2019 for coverage starting February 1st

ALSO...

Yup, sure enough, the state-based exchange data is coming in fast & furious...thanks to Dan Goldberg for this (no official link/press release yet):

@charles_gaba NY numbers: QHP =247,411; EP = 776,481; CHP =413,576; Medicaid = 3,283,564 .... with 6 weeks before open enrollment ends NY is turning in strong numbers despite higher prices.

— Dan Goldberg (@DanCGoldberg) December 17, 2018

Here's the official press release:

Press Release: NY State of Health Reaches Record Enrollment Level: More Than 4.7 Million New Yorkers Enrolled
Dec 17, 2018

This Just In from the New York State of Health exchange...

Press Release: NY State of Health Announces 2019 Enrollment is Up in First Month of Open Enrollment Period
Dec 5, 2018

  • More than 930,000 Consumers Enroll in a Qualified Health Plan or the Essential Plan
  • December 15 is the Deadline to Enroll for January 1, 2019 Coverage

ALBANY, N.Y. (December 5, 2018) - NY State of Health, the official health plan Marketplace, today announced in the first four weeks of the 2019 open enrollment period, enrollment is outpacing last year. More than 930,000 consumers have enrolled or renewed coverage in a Qualified Health Plan or the Essential Plan for 2019. Consumers must enroll or renew by December 15, for coverage beginning January 1, 2019.

OK, this is a bit embarrassing. I've made a point of calling attention to the widely varying Open Enrollment deadlines from state to state, and I also made sure to write up a blog post regarding Covered California, which started their 2019 Open Enrollment period a full two weeks earlier than everyone else, on November 15th.

However, I completely forgot that New York State of Health does things sort of the opposite way: While new enrollees could start signing up for 2019 coverage as early as November 1st, existing enrollees had to wait two weeks into Open Enrollment to actively renew or change their policies:

Press Release: NY State of Health Annual Renewal Begins Today!
Nov 16, 2018

2018 Qualified Health Plan Enrollees Can Renew Their Coverage for 2019 Now

Press Release: NY State of Health Drives Home the Importance of Affordable Health Coverage with Ridesharing Partnerships
Nov 9, 2018

Collaborations with Lyft, Uber, Independent Drivers Guild Reach Drivers Across NYS 

ALBANY, NY (November 9, 2018) – NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace, today announced it is partnering again during the Open Enrollment Period with ridesharing companies Lyft and Uber, and with the Independent Drivers Guild. Through the partnership, tens of thousands of drivers throughout New York State will be urged to visit the Marketplace to shop for and enroll in quality, affordable health insurance. Open Enrollment for 2019 coverage began November 1. Consumers must enroll by December 15, 2018 for coverage beginning January 1, 2019.

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