For over a year, we have released monthly Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) data that reflects enrollment activities across all states and growth in health coverage. The most recent Medicaid and CHIP data shows enrollment reaching over 10.1 million additional Americans as of November 2014. This represents a 17.5 percent increase over the average monthly enrollment for July through September of 2013, the pre-Marketplace open enrollment timeframe.
We continue to see greater enrollment growth in states that have expanded Medicaid. The recently released enrollment report shows that Medicaid and CHIP enrollment rose in those states by nearly 25.5 percent in November compared to the July-September 2013 baseline period, while states that have not, to date, expanded Medicaid reported an increase of approximately 7 percent over the same period.
We have also seen a growth in private health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Nationwide, 9.5 million consumers have selected or reenrolled in plans through the Marketplace since the beginning of Open Enrollment on Nov. 15, 2014, including both new and returning customers.
These numbers are encouraging – not because of the continued growth – but because they reflect the millions of lives changed by the Affordable Care Act.
On Jan. 27, Indiana became the 28th state, plus the District of Columbia, to expand Medicaid. This will provide greater access to health care coverage to an estimated 350,000 uninsured low-income Hoosiers over the next three years. And, with several other states having recently indicated plans to pursue expansion in 2015, we are encouraged by the additional lives that can be changed in months to come.
For the millions of individuals who now have health coverage, this is great news.
We are encouraged by interest from governors from all across the country who understand both the economic benefits of Medicaid expansion and the health and financial security it brings to many individuals. We remain committed in working together toward the larger goals of high quality, affordable health coverage for all Americans.
Today’s Medicaid and CHIP enrollment report can be found here.