State exchange sees more activity
Enrollments in Colorado’s health insurance exchange have been lagging behind that seen in other states throughout the U.S. Technical difficulties with the exchange’s website and servers has made it difficult for residents to enroll for coverage. Colorado runs its own insurance exchange and has managed to avoid some of the problems associated with the federal government’s exchange network. Even as the problems with the state’s exchange are being fixed, consumers seem somewhat uninterested in purchased coverage through the marketplace.
Consumers have not yet been won over by the exchange
When the state’s exchange began open enrollment on October 1 of this year, relatively few people opted to enroll in the health insurance exchange due to their concerns regarding the Affordable Care Act. As the state began resolving the exchange’s technical issues, enrollment began to grow, but awareness of the benefits that consumers could take advantage of through the exchange, such as the availability of federal subsidies, remained low.
Exchange reaches 9,980 members
The state has reported that enrollment has grown to 9,980 members, up from the 6,001 members that had enrolled as of November 18 of this year. Growing enrollment is linked to better performance on the exchange website as well as the increasing awareness among consumers regarding the exchange‘s benefits. Many people are still somewhat unaware of the exchange and how it operates, however, which may keep enrollment rates low throughout the remainder of the year.
Expansion of Medicaid could be cutting into exchange enrollment
Colorado has opted to expand its Medicaid program as well, offering more flexibility to consumers regarding their health insurance options. The expansion of the state’s Medicaid program could be having an impact on enrollment in the Colorado exchange network. Confusion regarding cancelled health insurance policies and whether or not these policies will remain cancelled has also caused some people to avoid the exchange. Thos whose policies remain intact have no need of the exchange, but many people remain unsure about whether their policies will remain active after January 1, 2014.
