***For Immediate Release***
May 1, 2014
Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 jsheldon@neappleseed.orgNearly 43,000 Nebraskans newly insured through Health Insurance Marketplace
Nebraska exceeds goal set by feds in health coverage enrollment under Affordable Care Act
LINCOLN — Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported nearly 43,000 Nebraskans enrolled in health insurance during the first national enrollment period of the new Health Insurance Marketplace.
According to DHHS figures, 42,975 Nebraskans purchased private plans through the Marketplace during the enrollment period that ran from October 2013 through March 2014. That number greatly exceeds of the goal of 32,000 enrollees set for the state by DHHS.
Additionally, 29 percent of those enrolled were between the ages of 18-34 and 87 percent of people who bought policies received premium assistance to make coverage more affordable.
“These numbers prove just how successful the Affordable Care Act has been in helping Nebraskans find quality, affordable health coverage in just the first year of the Marketplace,” said James Goddard, Health Care Director at Nebraska Appleseed, a member of Enroll Nebraska. “Exceeding the state’s goal shows the high importance Nebraskans place on top-notch health care. Many organizations, including members of Enroll Nebraska, have done an exceptional job of helping Nebraskans understand and explore their health insurance options.”
“AARP’s priority has been to provide basic information about ACA coverage to help consumers understand what is available,” said Mark Intermill, Advocacy Director for AARP Nebraska. “Our volunteers have done a great job in getting information out about the coverage offered through the ACA. It is gratifying to see that so many Nebraskans have been able to get coverage through the marketplace.”
“Our staff worked so hard to make this success a reality, working evenings and weekends and reaching out to people at enrollment events,” said Isela Meza, Certified Application Counselor at the People’s Health Center in Lincoln. “We worked with schools and community partners to help spread the word about the Marketplace. It is so wonderful to see that our efforts really paid off and people were able to get enrolled.”
Enroll Nebraska is a coalition of advocacy groups, health care providers, and community organizations that have joined together to connect and equip organizations with the resources they need to make sure all Nebraskans can enroll in health care coverage.