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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsObamacare Enrollment Is Absolutely Exploding In California
California's state health insurance exchange announced Thursday a huge surge in enrollment over the past three days, as more than 50,000 people signed up for private insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
Covered California, the state's official online marketplace, said in a press release that 53,510 people had selected an insurance plan from Monday through Wednesday. That's 60% more than the number of people who signed up in the entire month of October (30,830).
Here's a look at enrollments over the past three days:
•Monday: 13,653
•Tuesday: 19,351
•Wednesday: 20,506
“We’re pleased with the consumer response to getting affordable health insurance coverage, and our staff is working at top speed to answer questions and process all the applications, so Californians can enjoy benefits beginning Jan. 1, 2014,” Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee said in a statement.
The surge in enrollments comes days before a Dec. 23 deadline for customers to sign up for insurance coverage that would begin on Jan. 1. It also reflects a steady increase nationwide in both interest and enrollments.
Overall in November, nearly 260,000 people selected insurance plans through both federal and state exchanges. That was a significant bump from the 106,185 that enrolled in October, but still far off the pace of the Obama administration's goal of 7 million sign-ups by March 31.
Because of its large population and relatively well-functioning exchange website, California provides a key test case overall for the Affordable Care Act. As of Nov. 30, California had the country's fourth-highest rate of enrollment in exchange insurance after Vermont, Connecticut and Kentucky, accounting for about 30% of Obamacare's nationwide exchange enrollments .
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/finally-californians-rushing-sign-obamacare-221205768.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory
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Tikki
(14,556 posts)This is so important for him.
THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT OBAMA and GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN…
Democrats working together to make a better World..
Tikki
PatrynXX
(5,668 posts)he's a Human Rights Violator . but Obama bit better.
BlueStreak
(8,377 posts)According to http://acasignups.net/, we now have 5.3M signed up. That means we need another 1.7 million to sign up in the next 13 weeks -- or 150,000 a week nationwide. That is very achievable, given the recent surge.
The ACAsignups numbers are overstated t the extent that some of the people signing up to buy insurance may not make their first payment. Nonetheless, it looks to me like there ought to easily be 8M - 9M real sign-ups before the end of open enrollment.
And let's understand this was always intended to be a multi-year thing. People worry way too much about the little waivers that Obama is approving. These are all temporary, toward the goal of building momentum. There are 50M uninsured, so we're only talking about getting 20% of them this year. But that 20% will significantly reduce the burden shifting problem, which means that policies can be more competitive in 2015. And in 2015, the individual mandate penalty gets a lot larger, so we'll get another 10 million on board in 2015.
Each time we enroll another big block of people, the burden shifting problem goes down. And the overall cost of delivering HC goes down. it is a virtuous cycle that will take 5 or more years to play out, but each year it gets better.
This is exactly what they saw in Massachusetts.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)Californians have been wishing for the ACA for many years now. We had insurance reform way before the ACA and have teetered toward single payer. Now we are getting so much closer to being able to offer affordable coverage for all Californians, and that, we know, will benefit all of us.
It's so great.
Obama will be remembered in history as the president who finally started the ball rolling on dealing with America's healthcare problems in a realistic way.
Good work. Thanks to all who made and are making this possible.
Still hoping for single payer without those huge CEO salaries.
SpankMe
(2,957 posts)The web site isn't relatively well-functioning. It has been fully and properly functioning since day one. These little adverbs they add imply that Covered California has has it's problems, too. They do this as a hedge or CYA in case someone finds that one fifteen minute period in the middle of the night one Sunday when the site was down.
I hate this pussy-ass wording that "news" organizations use. Covered California is the single most successful, least glitchy, most signed-up-on ACA web site in the United States. I wish they would report it that way instead of using this "just in case" type of language so they look "fair and balanced" and can't be caught on anything.
No spine whatsoever.
Tumbulu
(6,272 posts)It froze up numerous times and I had to finish my enrollment via the phone which required a 55 minute holding time.
BUT, it was worth it, I got a better policy than I have now and with the subsidies will be paying $120 instead if $500/ month. My goodness, this is a huge huge deal.
Boomerproud
(7,951 posts)I was furious-and waited for an hour on the phone. After hanging up and calling back, I got a message that due to call volume they weren't accepting any more calls tonight. Happy Christmas Eve.
Tumbulu
(6,272 posts)I hope that you did indeed finally get signed up.
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)It was an hour-and-a-half for me on Saturday. I tried twice to sign up online. The first time it wanted me to offer proof that I was an American citizen by uploading my D/L or passport. I logged out, logged back in and there was no longer that requirement but I was informed that my application could not go forward until my husband's Medi-Cal was approved. My husband did not apply for nor does he qualify for Medi-Cal. The lady I spoke to said they were getting a lot of calls like that.
I signed up. It will take everything I make on my part-time job and then some but I signed up. I'm thankful to have insurance again after 4 years but the expense is going to be horrendous.
"Covered California is the single most successful, least glitchy, most signed-up-on ACA web site in the United States."
Do you have something concrete to back up that claim? The RI website has been functioning since day one with only two slight pauses (day or so) to add additional server capacity. I'd like to see signups vs. state population data.
I know the linked to numbers by the OP are wrong for RI.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Refusing to accept the Medicaid is resulting in our citizens unable to share in ACA benefits. This A$$hole wants to run for president and he is unwilling to help the citizens of Texas. The GOP is arrogant useless bunch of thugs. I was on the Medicaid site for Texas this past week and unless you are pregnant it is basically impossible to sign up for Medicaid even if you are qualified before ACA. The site sends you to the federal site and does not even do a financial test to see if you qualify.
I am glad for the citizens of California, at least some are being helped.
Motown_Johnny
(22,308 posts)I just finalized mine today.
The numbers for these three weeks in December are going to be huge. Then I expect them to drop off for a couple weeks and then start to pick up in early January.
I really think we should start adding the ~3.5 million young people who are now on their parent's health insurance plans to our totals when talking about Obamacare. These are people who now have insurance who would not have if not for the change in the law.
Sedona
(3,769 posts)
I signed up Thursday.
I landed my dream job in Santa Monica. I start Jan 6 and move out of this red fucking state Arizona. I need coverage for the first 90 days of my employment.
I also signed up my super (professional athlete level) healthy 28 year old daughter in Arizona. Not nearly as easy as Covered California BTW. Arizona is putting deliberate roadblocks in the website.
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)
Harmony Blue
(3,978 posts)very good. 
kylie5432
(34 posts)I urged my sister to sign up today and she did. She uploaded some unemployment check stubs and other required documents. It took about 35 minutes. She is just starting to get some freelance work but for now her premium is mostly covered by the subsidy for a bronze plan. I would like her to upgrade to Platinum when she starts working again.
This is really a god send and a load off of her mind. She will be covered on the 1st but doesn't have to pay until the 6th. Thank you Covered California.
earthbot1
(77 posts)Last edited Tue Dec 24, 2013, 08:09 PM - Edit history (1)
Okay I just bit the bullet and signed up! I might have to ditch cable and do my web surfing at free hot spots.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)Basically the same plan. Thanks, Obama.
Hekate
(90,633 posts)"Because of its large population & relatively well-functioning exchange website, California provides a key test case...."
Go California!
My only gripe about the system at all is that when the contractors were developing the software, they didn't have orders to create it as though the feds were going to be responsible for 100% of the state systems, instead of just the non-cooperating ones. By seriously underestimating the number of governors who were willing to cut off their noses to spite their faces, we ended up with this embarrassment we've been living through. Damn the GOP to hell and gone, but the folks in charge of the ACA rollout should have known the GOP was going to behave the way they've been behaving since Obama was inaugurated, and should have created a totally robust system that would stand alone.
I don't even know if I said that right, but think you get my drift.
SunSeeker
(51,550 posts)Having your insurance no longer dependent on your job will boost entrepreneurship. Lower ER use (now that people can go to a regular doctor) and lower health costs will improve the state budget even more, as well as business profitability in the state.
Of course, the lives saved and human misery alleviated are immeasurable.
B Calm
(28,762 posts)