As of November 2013, Covered California had signed up nearly 80,000 people in private health plans, and 135,000 people have signed up for Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid. In California, about 2,700 people are signing up for ACA insurance coverage daily, while fewer than 3,000 Texans chose a health plan through the exchange in the entire month of October. Since October 1st, California has captured 30% of the total number of enrollees in the U.S., even though the state only has 10% of the population.
In Person Approach Reaches More Enrollees
Covered California, with its functional website and in-person approach to informing and signing up consumers at malls, retail centers, farmer’s markets, and health fairs, continues to outperform faltering federal and other state exchanges. The exchange estimates that about 80% of people want in person help with sign-up, and many lower-income people, who stand to benefit the most from the healthcare law, don’t have online access.
Young Invincibles Join Older Consumers
Although older consumers with pre-existing conditions have been rushing in to sign up, the California exchange is pleased with strong, younger consumer turnout for sign-up, due to its successful marketing to that age group. Younger, healthier policyholders will offset the cost of insuring those older and sicker.
Hispanics Important to Obamacare Success
Covered California plans to send out Spanish-speaking counselors for in-person assistance to the group that makes up over 50% of the California population. The median age for Hispanics is 27 compared to the overall US median age of 37, which puts a large percentage of the Hispanic population in that important younger age group.
