Utah’s uninsured population continues to dwindle thanks to new options and a recovering economy
The number of uninsured people in Utah is falling. An improving economic climate and the growing availability of health insurance options means that more people are finding ways to obtain the coverage that they need. The Utah Department of Health has released a report that marks the decline of the uninsured population. Over the past year, more people have purchased or received insurance coverage from the state’s new exchange or from its expanded Medicaid program.
Nearly 41,000 people have purchased insurance coverage in Utah in 2013
According to the report, nearly 41,000 people throughout the state obtained health insurance coverage in 2013. An improving economy is cited as one of the reasons behind the fall in the uninsured population. As the economy improves, the state’s unemployment rate is falling. People finding jobs are obtaining employer-sponsored insurance coverage, while others have opted to purchase coverage from the state’s insurance exchange.
Young consumers are still leery of health insurance coverage
There are still many uninsured people in Utah, most of whom are young adults. Young people see little need in health insurance coverage because they rarely get sick and relatively few of them have chronic health issues. The financial pressure that insurance coverage represents is enough to justify avoiding coverage for many of these people. The state’s insurance exchange has helped resolve this problem to some degree. The exchange has made affordable policies more accessible to younger consumers, which has reduced some of the financial concerns that they have about coverage.
Raising awareness about the state’s insurance exchange and the options it offers is becoming a priority
The state’s exchange is scheduled to launch another open enrollment period in November this year. This time, advocacy groups and insurance organizations are expected to take more effective steps in promoting the exchange and the services it provides. For many, a lack of awareness has led to problems with finding coverage through the state’s exchange. Informing consumers of the options they have available to them is becoming a priority for the state.