Dive Brief:
- Although the most recent Congressional Budget Office numbers estimated that 13 million people would have insurance through the insurance exchanges next year, the Department of Health and Human Services has put that number much lower, at 9 to 10 million people.
- Both CBO and HHS' estimates include current enrollees who renew coverage (expected to be about 6 million out of 7 million current enrollees) and new sign-ups. Enrollment figures have beaten expectations so far, but HHS now expects the pace of sign-ups to slow.
- The second open enrollment period begins on Saturday and runs through February 15.
Dive Insight:
The CBO expected enrollment to increase steadily for three years before plateauing at about 25 million people, a projection that HHS has now called too ambitious. According to the agency, enrollment will take three to five years to "ramp up." Their estimates are based on analysis of other programs, like the Children's Health Insurance Program, and the belief that it will take people longer than expected to transition from employer-based insurance to the exchanges.