Published Mar 10, 2015

Nationwide, nearly 11.7 million consumers selected or were automatically re-enrolled in quality, affordable health insurance coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace as of Feb. 22, 2015 according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Of those, 8.84 million (76 percent) were in states using the HealthCare.gov platform and 2.85 million (24 percent) were in the 14 states (including Idaho and Washington) using their own Marketplace platforms. 

The US Supreme Court will be deciding this summer if consumers enrolled in HealthCare.gov can keep their premium subsidy or must be charged the full premium. That decision will affect nearly 7.7 million individuals with a plan selection in the states using HealthCare.gov. 

Tax credits made coverage affordable in the 37 states that use HealthCare.gov –

• Of the more than 8.8 million plan selections in HealthCare.gov states, 87 percent (nearly 7.7 million individuals) qualified for an average tax credit of $263 per month.

• More than half selected a plan with a monthly premium of $100 or less after tax credits, about 8 in 10 of these individuals had the option of selecting such a plan.

Marketplace consumers in HealthCare.gov states this year were more active, engaged, and eager for coverage than consumers in other insurance marketplaces -

• New Consumers - More than half (53 percent or more than 4.6 million) of plan selections in HealthCare.gov states are new consumers who did not have Marketplace coverage as of Nov. 2014, and 47 percent (nearly 4.2 million) are consumers who re-enrolled in Marketplace coverage.

• Re-Enrolled - Of the 4.2 million consumers who were re-enrolled in 2015 Marketplace coverage, more than half (2.2 million), came back to the Marketplace, updated their information and actively selected a plan.

• Plan Switches - Of the 2.2 million active re-enrollees, 1.2 million switched to a different plan from what they had in 2014 – that’s 54 percent of active re-enrollees and 29 percent of all re-enrollees.  This is a much higher proportion than seen in other programs.  For example, studies show that approximately 13 percent of Medicare Part D enrollees change plans in a given year, and only about 7.5 percent of those with employer sponsored coverage switch plans for reasons other than a job change.

“The figures released today tell a story of health coverage consumers rely on for financial and health security – and of coverage they don’t want to lose,” said Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell. “Millions of Marketplace consumers in HealthCare.gov states qualified for tax credits to make their coverage affordable and accessible.  People who come to the Marketplace for coverage are actively engaged and shopping for the product that’s best for them and their families.  The Affordable Care Act is working and we’re grateful to the volunteers, assisters, navigators, local officials, members of Congress and many national organizations who joined this effort across the country.”

Washington and Idaho residents are invited to contact our Exchange Certified Health Agents, Tim Gleason or Dave Root, online here or by calling 208-746-9646 to discuss your health care options at any time.

Source: US Department of Health & Human Services, News Release – March 10, 2015, Read full News Release