The number of Kitsap
residents signed up for health coverage through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange
nearly tripled in November, according to a report released
Thursday.
Total enrollment for the county was 5,837 by the end of November, a big jump from the 1,986 signed up at the end of October. Statewide enrollment grew to 179,000.
The overwhelming majority signed up for Medicaid coverage, as has been the trend since the exchange opened Oct. 1.
Customers have until Dec. 23 to pay for plans if they want their insurance to activate Jan. 1.
It appears errors on the Healthplanfinder website that listed Harrison Medical Center as “out of network” for some plans have been fixed.
Here’s the full November report:
You don’t say it until the third paragraph, but the vast majority of these sign-ups are for Medicaid, which is “free” coverage, or nearly so. The real point is that people who have to actually pay for coverage are NOT signing up. Why? because the cost of their coverage doubles, with higher deductibles and larger co-pays. It’s great of you get a government subsidy, but if you actually have to pay for it, it’s not so great at all. Further, young people (the invincibles) are opting out in droves. That’s a great number, 6,000, but it doesn’t really tell the whole story.