Tag Archives: apple health

Obamacare enrollment climbs in Kitsap

About 300 more Kitsap residents were covered by health care plans purchased through the state’s exchange this year than in 2015, according to a report released earlier this month.

An additional 2,000 residents enrolled in the state’s expanded Apple Health (Medicaid) program over the same period.

As of September, the county was home to 5,206 residents covered by Qualified Health Plans and 43,936 covered by Apple Health.

The Washington Health Benefit Exchange reported a more substantial jump in enrollment statewide.

The number of Washingtonians covered by Qualified Health Plans climbed by 13,581 in 2016, a 9 percent increase.

Enrollment is currently open for 2017 exchange plans. Customers who want their coverage to activate in January must enroll by Dec. 15. Open enrollment ends Jan. 31.

Enrollment in Apple Health is open all year.

For information, go to the Healthplanfinder website.

43,000 Kitsap residents enrolled in Medicaid

Tad Sooter

Roughly one in six Kitsap County residents are now enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program, called Apple Health.

A total of 43,833 people living in the county have signed up for Apple Health, according to a Tuesday report from the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. Kitsap ranked 10th among Washington counties for Apple Health enrollment.

Another 5,328 residents enrolled in qualified plans offered through the state’s individual health insurance marketplace, ranking eighth among Washington counties.

Statewide, 1.52 million residents have enrolled in Apple Health and 169,000 purchased qualified health plans, according to the report.

The report highlighted statistics from the insurance marketplace’s most recent open enrollment period, which ended Jan. 31. Enrollment in Apple Health continues year-round.

Kitsap County’s uninsured rate fell steeply after the rollout of the Affordable Care Act and the expansion of the state’s Medicaid program. Kitsap had the smallest percentage of uninsured residents in the state in 2014.

You can read the full enrollment report here.

Molina will cover virtual urgent care

Tad Sooter

CHI Franciscan Health, parent company of Harrison Medical Center, recently extended its virtual urgent care service to Kitsap County.

Each virtual visit costs $35, a fee not covered by health plans, at least until this month.

9730473231_c67d3d4aee_k Molina Healthcare announced March 4 it will begin covering the urgent care service for its Medicaid (Apple Health) clients who are already established with a CHI Franciscan primary care provider.

Franciscan and Molina estimated 16,000 members will gain access to free online urgent care.

“Establishing a partnership with Molina to cover Virtual Urgent Care is a big step forward for CHI Franciscan Health and for the virtual health care industry as a whole,” CHI Franciscan Chief Medical Officer Mark Adams said in a news release.

CHI Franciscan launched the virtual urgent care in September 2013 and extended the service to Kitsap in January. About 200 patients per month use the online portal.