West Virginia continues to lag behind the rest of the country in the number of younger people enrolled in health insurance through the federal marketplace.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said as of March 1, 18 percent of those signed up through the federal exchange in West Virginia were ages 18 to 34. That’s only a slight improvement from a month earlier and ties West Virginia with Oregon for the lowest percent of signups from that age group. Arizona, Hawaii and Maine were at 19 percent.
Among all age groups, enrollment in West Virginia’s health insurance marketplace has risen to about 10,600.
Open enrollment in the marketplace and the state’s expanded Medicaid program began Oct. 1 and will continue through March 31.
Tag: Health Care
W.Va. Health Coverage Marketplace Enrollment Rises
Enrollment in West Virginia’s health insurance marketplace has jumped by more than 500 percent in the past month.
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield says about 1,200 West Virginians have enrolled in plans through the federal exchange as of Monday. That’s up from 198 people on Nov. 13.
Highmark is the only private insurer participating in West Virginia’s health insurance marketplace.
Meanwhile, about 75,000 people have enrolled in the state’s expanded Medicaid program, 12,000 more than the state projected.
State officials, Highmark representatives and other stakeholders discussed the programs Tuesday during a meeting in Charleston.
Highmark president Fred Earley says enrollment through the federal exchange increased after the government added enhancements to the website. But he says there are still problems.
Need help navigating the health care exchange?
The number of uninsured West Virginians is expected to drop by 70 percent in the next three years. That’s according to numbers from the state Insurance Commissioners Office and presented by West Virginians for Affordable Health Care in the wake of open enrollment under the health care exchange.
The non-profit group is working with organizations around the state to help West Virginians navigate that new exchange and sign up for insurance.
WVAHC Executive Director Perry Bryant said so many Americans have become interested in signing up for coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s central facet that the federal website crashed Tuesday morning and there was a wait time of up to 15 minutes for the federal call center.
He said in order to help with the influx, some West Virginia groups have created their own websites to assist consumers looking to buy health insurance or qualifiers sign up for Medicaid in the hopes that they can impact the state’s overall health in the future.
“It is a new day. It is a new era and one in which we are going to take a significant step towards providing quality, affordable health care in West Virginia and I’m proud to be a part of that effort,” Perry said during a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
To enroll or find assistance in navigating the health care exchange, visit one of the following sites:
www.healthcare.gov
www.localhelp.healthcare.gov
www.goenrollWV.org
Or call:
Federal Call Center 1-800-318-2596
WV Primary Care Association 1-877-WVA-HLTH
To report any possible fraud or scams related to ACA, contact the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office at 1-800-363-8808.