This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Since open enrollment for 2017 health insurance through the Affordable Care Act began about four weeks ago, it seemed to Utah Health Policy Project officials that more people were walking through their door to sign up than in 2015.
That feeling was quantified Wednesday when federal officials released data showing that 46,652 already had signed up for health insurance in 2017, compared to 37,816 last year for 2016 coverage. Open enrollment began Nov. 1.
"This is our first look at data that provides more information than what we've seen anecdotally ... that the sign up rate is up," said Jason Stevenson, the project's education and communications director.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created online insurance marketplaces that allow consumers to find the best plan to fit their needs by comparing prices and networks. They also can qualify for federal tax credits that help reduce the overall cost of coverage.
The upward trend is being felt across the country. This year's enrollment for 2017 coverage has hit 2.1 million in the U.S., compared to the about 2 million who sig ned up last year for 2016 coverage, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
This uptick could be attributed to President-elect Donald Trump's comments about repealing and replacing the ACA, Stevenson said.
When people feel like something will be taken away, he added, they start to value it more.
"People are realizing insurance is good for them and their families," he said.
But he cautioned that this increase may not continue through the open enrollment deadline. Utahns have until Jan. 31, 2017, to sign up for insurance on healthcare.gov. However, the deadline is Dec. 15 if individuals want their coverage to begin Jan. 1.
"We're seeing competing pressures: people seeking out insurance because they realize the new administration wants to make drastic changes and they want to be insured while they still can, and people who are apathetic because they realize that the coverage could be taken away," Stevenson said.
For free assistance, Utahns can contact an insurance agent at utahinsurancedepartment.com or talk to a Take Care Utah expert at takecareutah.org or by calling 211.
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