245K Missourians enroll through marketplace

More than 8.8 million Americans were signed up for 2017 medical coverage through HealthCare.gov as of Jan. 14, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In Missouri, 244,593 have enrolled so far this year during the busiest enrollment period – 50,026 of those in the designated Springfield market area.

“With almost 9 million people signed up for 2017 coverage just in HealthCare.gov states, it’s clear that marketplace coverage is a product Americans want and need,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, in a news release. “Strong demand is especially striking in light of the unique headwinds created by discouraging rhetoric from (Affordable Care Act) opponents.”

With President Donald Trump’s vow to repeal Barack Obama’s signature health care act on the forefront of American minds, HHS reports more than 40,000 people have contacted its call center expressing concern about whether they should sign up.

“My answer is a resounding yes: In fact, I’ll be signing up for marketplace coverage myself by the end of the month,” Burwell said.

The latest report nationwide covers the period from Jan. 1 through Jan. 14, reflecting two fewer days than in last year’s published week 11 snapshot. Measured over the equivalent time period, plan selections this year are almost 100,000 higher than last year, according to CMS.

The nationwide total does not include plans from the 12 state-based marketplaces, where an estimated 2.8 million were enrolled at the close of 2016.

In the Show-Me State, data through Dec. 24 shows 84 percent of Missourians enrolled in the marketplace will receive advanced tax credits lowering premiums by an average of $332 per month. On an annual basis, that’s tax credits of $3,987 per year for up to 207,775 Missourians. The HHS estimates 73 percent of Missourians can find plans for less than $75 per month.

Of statewide marketplace users in 2016, 69 percent of Missourians have re-enrolled for 2017, or about 133,968 people, so far.

Open enrollment ends Jan. 31.


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