Big Surge In Enrollment Lifts Obamacare Marketplaces

LATimes ^ | December 18, 2015 | Noam N. Levey

[Steelfish]

Big Surge In Enrollment Lifts Obamacare Marketplaces

Noam N. Levey

A big surge of consumers this fall is pushing up enrollment in health coverage offered through the Affordable Care Act, providing an unexpected boost to insurance marketplaces created by the law, according to new data from the federal government.

Through this week, nearly 6 million people have selected health plans for 2016 through HealthCare.gov, the federally operated insurance marketplace that serves residents of 38 states, including Florida, Texas and Illinois.

“The more who sign up, the stronger the system becomes,” President Obama told reporters at the White House. “That is good news for every American who no longer has to worry about being just one illness or accident away from financial hardship.”

Hundreds of thousands of additional consumers have selected plans through marketplaces operated by the remaining states, including California, New York, Connecticut and Maryland.

The strong demand for Obamacare coverage in the law’s third enrollment period may further solidify the markets, which are still evolving as insurance companies and consumers continue to adapt to the new healthcare environment.

See the most-read stories this hour >> And it could help further drive down the nations’ uninsured rate, which has plummeted since the health law’s coverage expansion began in 2014.

Polls and other surveys indicate some 17 million previously uninsured Americans have gotten coverage through marketplaces, Medicaid and other sources.

The new surge also comes as the law’s defenders face renewed attacks amid the exit of several new insurers from marketplaces around the country and the recent budget deal that will delay several funding sources in the law.

[hsmomx3]

I don’t buy it for a second. I refuse!!!!

[Eagles6]

Wait a sec!

First they said it would cover 48,000,000

Then we said NO ILLEGALS! So they said, Okay, 30,000,000.

Now they're throwing a parade for 6,000,000, mostly medicaid and some single insured kicked off their plans by imam obama(may pigs be upon him).

[JewishRighter]

Pure propaganda. The markets are on the verge of collapse, major insurers backing out, others cutting down the number of available plans, premiums rising. It is just one huge suckberger.

[Lorianne]

Could have nothing to do with the FINES going up if you don’t sign up could it?

[funfan]

Well I guess since the system is stronger now since so many people are clamoring to sign up as Obozo says them premiums should be coming down for all right?

[Rashputin]

Let me see.

Last year of King Barry in office, Federal handout specialists enrolling hundreds of thousands of poor immigrants into free BarryCare for which they'll never pay a dime, BarryCare is the "signature" piece of legislation for his whole eight years, . . .

Sure, I believe this crap.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: The more who sign up, the stronger the system becomes

Depends on the people signing up.

If most of those signing up will be placed in the Medicaid or “Qualify for subsidy” bucket, the system is still wobbly.

[MrB]

The people “signing up” most assuredly will be those leaning on the system, not the ones propping it up.

They’ll hold off until the IRS starts freezing assets in order to recover their Orwellian “shared responsibility payment”.

[SteveH]

i asked and got anecdotal info from a nor cal kaiser clerk who told me that at her station, more people were checking in, and the new people were paying full price for seeing a doctor because of the yearly (or whatever) deductible. it sounds as if it might be at least good for biz for nor cal kaiser. however, can anyone explain why people are paying so much (at nor cal kaiser) without (obvious, anyway) complaint?

[zzwhale]

i l l e g a l s.........

[clearcarbon]

Zerocare costs more this year than last year.

[VideoDoctor]

Seeing as 4 major insurance co-ops have already crashed and closed, leaving 100’s of thousands without insurance, I’d say what this story represents is that the “next wave of suckers and fools” have already arrived for their fleecing.