208,301 in CT enrolled in health care under ACA

 AccessHealthCT has worked through the queue of applications pending when enrollment into the insurance exchange closed March 31^st. Between Jan 1^st and March 31^st, 208,301 state residents were enrolled in coverage. Most qualified for Medicaid – 129,588 – approximately the number of new eligibles originally estimated for the state. (For the nitpickers out there – it is likely that some of that number come from the “woodwork” effect – people who would have qualified before 2014 anyway). But it is an impressive accomplishment – CT did nowhere near as well in HUSKY outreach when eligibility expanded under CHIP. The navigators and assisters deserve congratulations. And it is very important for readers to note that Medicaid eligibility did not close on March 31^st. Eligible state residents can and should continue to apply for Medicaid coverage through AccessHealthCT.

We hope to know more soon about the other 78,713 people who enrolled into insurance through the exchange, especially how many were previously uninsured. Unfortunately this is only a fraction of the 250,000 to 300,000 CT uninsured who are estimated to be eligible for exchange coverage.