Obamacare Brings Coverage to at Least 9.5 million
On the last day for health insurance enrollment under the launch of Obamcare, millions more people have obtained health insurance, either directly through the exchanges or outside them, through Medicaid, and by staying on family plans. Based on state and federal reports, surveys and information from insurance executives, the Los Angeles Times estimates that at least 9.5 million previously uninsured people are now covered.
That includes:
At least six million in the new marketplaces, about 2 million of which were previously uninsured, a share that probably increased this month;
At least 4.5 million signed up through Medicaid or SCHIP (the children’s health program+) either through expansion or discovering their eligibility when applying for private insurance—this means more on Medicaid in states that didn’t accept the expansion;
At least three million young people, up to age 26, have gained coverage on their parents plans;