Printed from BusinessInsurance.com

Most 2015 health exchange enrollees keeping coverage

Posted On: Jun. 2, 2015 12:00 AM CST

The overwhelming majority of individuals who enrolled in plans offered through public health insurance exchanges during the 2015 open season have paid their premiums and still have active coverage, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday.

As of March 31, 10.2 million of the 11.7 million Americans who opted for coverage, or just over 87%, paid premiums for their first month of coverage or still have time to pay the premium under exchange grace periods.

In addition, of those with active or “effectuated” coverage, about 85% were receiving federal premium subsidies. Those subsidies are available to those with incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level, which is set at $11,770 for an individual in 2015.

The latest release of exchange enrollment statistics follows widespread criticism of HHS by federal lawmakers for not promptly disclosing how enrollment fell last year after the close of the 2014 open season as hundreds of thousands of those opting for coverage later lost it due to failure to pay required premiums.

As of March 31, states with the highest number of effectuated enrollees include Florida with 1,415,981; California with 1,364,659; Texas with 966,412; North Carolina with 492,014; and Georgia with 452,815.

States with the lowest number of effectuated enrollees include Hawaii with 8,200; the District of Columbia with 14,960; North Dakota with 16,222; Wyoming with 18,228; and Alaska with 18,320.