Press release: Wyoming keeps up with national ACA enrollment 

State saw above average numbers of young people enrolling ahead of March 31

Wyoming enrolled almost 7,000 residents in the health insurance marketplace as of March 1, 2014. The numbers are expected to grow in the next 20 days. CMS announced yesterday that people who begin their enrollment by March 31 will have two additional weeks to finalize their insurance plans.

“These numbers are comparable to other rural states that have a federal marketplace and are a strong indication that people do want to have health insurance,” said Kim Gillan Regional Director of Health and Human Services Region VIII.

“We anticipate a continued increase in the number of people who contact 2-1-1 to find a navigator for assistance in the Marketplace.” stated Tracy Brosius, who leads the navigator team at the Institute for Population Health, a division of the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. “Last night’s announcement that gives people two more weeks to complete their enrollment but who have started by midnight on March 31 will allow the navigators and other assisters in Wyoming to help more people.”

Here are the numbers for Wyoming: Of the 6,838 Wyoming residents who purchased plans in the first five months, 56 percent were female. The number of young people 18-34 who have enrolled is slightly above the national average, 27 percent for Wyoming compared to the national average of 25 percent. Wyoming residents age 55-64 represented 31 percent of health insurance purchases. Two out of three Wyoming residents who purchased plans so far purchased a silver level plan.

Nine of ten people who purchased insurance plans on the Marketplace in Wyoming qualified for financial assistance. Of the Wyoming individuals who purchased marketplace plans without financial assistance, 37 percent bought silver plans and 3 percent bought catastrophic plans. 1,646 Wyoming residents were determined to be eligible for Medicaid or S-CHIP through the Marketplace during the first five months of enrollment.

The report features cumulative data for the five-month reporting period because some people apply, shop, and select a plan across monthly reporting periods. Enrollment is measured as those who selected a plan.