Washington Healthplanfinder: more than 35,000 have enrolled in 3 weeks
Posted by Amy Snow Landa
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Three weeks after its launch, Washington’s online insurance marketplace continues to set a strong pace for enrollment.
To date, more than 35,500 Washington residents have enrolled in coverage through the state’s online insurance marketplace, Healthplanfinder, according to data released Monday by the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. That figure is up about 10,500 from the week before.
Among those who have enrolled so far, about 31,000 have enrolled in Medicaid coverage, while more than 4,500 have enrolled in private health plans.
State officials say they are pleased with the high number of Medicaid enrollments. About two-thirds of those who have enrolled in Medicaid coverage are low-income adults who are newly eligible because of the state’s Medicaid expansion in 2014.
An additional 56,000 Washington residents have completed applications that are only missing the first premium payment, which is not due until December 23. That figure is an increase of nearly 20,000 over the week before.
Most people who have completed applications – or nearly 40,000 of the 56,000 total applicants – are members of households in which at least one member is enrolling in a private health plan while at least one other member qualifies for Medicaid coverage.
More than 16,000 applicants are in households in which all members qualify for private health plans but none are eligible for Medicaid.
Nearly 14,000 additional applicants have completed their entire applications for Medicaid except for the final step that will formally enroll them.
Altogether, that means more than 35,500 Washingtonians have enrolled in coverage through Healthplanfinder and nearly 70,000 additional residents have completed applications.
The latest figures are “really good news,” said Exchange spokeswoman Bethany Frey. “We’re still off to a really strong start.”
Kentucky is another state that has seen strong enrollment numbers in the first three weeks. Kentucky’s exchange, Kynect, reported Monday that nearly 16,000 residents have enrolled in coverage and 45,000 more have started applications.
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