Health-insurance signups increase in every New York county in latest enrollment period

ALBANY, N.Y. — Total enrollment in New York State of Health, the state’s official health-plan marketplace, increased in every county of the state during the most recent enrollment period.

That’s according to figures that the New York State Department of Health posted Friday on its website.

The open-enrollment period ended on Jan. 31, the department said.

More than 3.6 million people signed up for health insurance through the marketplace during the enrollment period that began Nov. 1, the state said in its news release.

The figure represents an increase of over 800,000 from the close of the 2016 open-enrollment period.

 

Regional county enrollment

The list below includes Central New York counties and their figure from the 2017 enrollment period, as provided by the state in Friday’s news release.

It then indicates the figure for each county from the 2016 enrollment period, as listed in an annual report that NY State of Health assembled, which is available online.

Onondaga reported 64,822 in the 2017 enrollment period, up from the 46,418 enrollees in the 2016 period.

Oswego had 18,805 enrollees, compared to the 13,147 in the 2016 period.

Oneida reported 33,563 sign-ups, compared to 22,893 last year.

Madison had 8,800 people sign up, compared to 5,935 in the 2016 enrollment period

Cayuga listed 9,904 enrollees, up from 8,109 last year.

Cortland reported 6984, which compares to the 4717 people in the 2016 enrollment period.

Tompkins had 9,513 enrollees, up from 8,130 last year.

Herkimer reported 10,541 enrollees, compared to 7,332 a year ago.

Jefferson had 15,279 enrollees, up from 11,117 sign ups a year ago.

Lewis reported 4168 enrollees, up from 3,398 in the 2016 enrollment period.

St. Lawrence had 12,005, up from 10,277 a year ago.

Broome reported 21,700, up from 17,759 enrollees in the 2016 period.

Tioga had 7229 enrollees, up from 5,568 last year.

Chenango had 7,881 people sign up, compared to 5,871 a year ago.

Delaware had 6,222 enrollees, up from 5,039 in 2016.

Steuben reported 14,990 enrollees, up from 11,427 in 2016.

Seneca had 4,734 sign ups, compared to 3,311 last year.

 

Essential plan

The essential plan attracted the highest percentage increase in enrollment in every county, since the close of open enrollment in 2016, according to NY State of Health.

The essential plan covers adults who are not eligible for Medicaid and have incomes up to 200 percent of federal poverty level. 

The essential plan reduces both premium and out-of-pocket costs for these individuals by over $1,100 a year, the state contends.

Without the essential plan, 385,238 of the 665,324 New Yorkers enrolled in the essential plan as of Jan. 31 would have been eligible for a qualified health plan, according to the news release.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com