Washington State: WA HealthPlanFinder ends historic ACA Open Enrollment w/record numbers, up 18.5% y/y

via the Washington HealthPlan Finder:

• More than 273,000 Washingtonians signed up for health insurance coverage

Washington Health Benefit Exchange (Exchange) ended 2024 open enrollment (Nov. 1, 2023 – Jan. 15, 2024) with a record 273,000 Washingtonians signed up for health insurance coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder the state’s online health insurance marketplace. This historic high represents an increase of more than 18% over 2023.

About 52,000 new customers gained coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder, a 40% increase over last year, and another record high. New customers include those who transitioned from Apple Health coverage, and those, for the first time ever, who are eligible regardless of immigration status. More customers than ever (86,000) also signed up for dental coverage.

In their fourth year of being offered, a record high number of customers — nearly 200,000 — are now in Exchange-designed standard plans. These plans (marketed as Cascade Care plans) have lower deductibles, on average and standard benefits and cost-sharing across carriers, which help customers make “apples-to-apples” comparisons between plans and informed choices based on premium, network, and quality. Nearly 63,000 customers are in public option plans, a 135% increase over 2023.

Public option plans are a subset of standard plans, that have additional cost and quality requirements.

“These historic enrollment numbers mean that more Washingtonians than ever before will have access to health and dental coverage. But we know that more work remains, particularly around making health care more affordable for customers,” Exchange CEO Ingrid Ulrey said. “There has been greater interest in Cascade Care Savings plans as they provide additional state subsidies, when coupled with enhanced federal subsidies, they have been critical to increasing coverage."

More than 220,000 customers now have federal and/or state subsidies, which are helping them get and stay covered. However, customers need relief from rising health care costs which outpace wage increases and impact both premiums and costs to use health care.

Reminders: Enrollment is offered year-round to individuals and families through Washington Apple Health (Medicaid). Customers enrolled in Apple Health will receive a notice 60 days before the month they enrolled in or renewed their coverage last year.