Obamacare enrollment grows in the Puget Sound area, despite questions about its future
She wasn't alone. On the Saturday after the
The Columbia City event is one of many Public Health --
Milord's health-insurance history is a common story. In her 20s, she had employer-provided insurance but lost it when she switched jobs. Under the ACA, also known as Obamacare, the 31-year-old was eligible for coverage under the law's expansion of Medicaid, called
"Just trying to see what is out there," she said, while a Public Health employee,
The health insurance Milord uses through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange for herself and her 3-year-old daughter isn't guaranteed to always be available. The ongoing debate in
Yet, despite the administration's ending federal-subsidy payments to insurance companies that reduced out-of-pocket costs for patients, enrollment is off to a hot start.
Since the ACA passed in 2009,
Increase in sign-ups
The Washington Health Benefit Exchange, which runs the state's marketplace and exchange website, received 12,000 applications for sign-ups during the first two weeks of the enrollment period, an increase of about 58 percent from the same period last year.
In
The Washington Health Benefit Exchange launched the Healthplanfinder website this fall, where plans can be compared. In an effort to reach the shrinking number of uninsured, more locations where people can get assistance were added across the state.
The state also allocated
Because
The increase in registrations isn't a complete surprise.
Collins is curious to see what happens after the first couple of weeks. "Once you get past those highly motivated enrollees, are you going to see this kind of takeup when you get to healthy people and the young?" she asked.
The number of uninsured has dramatically declined in
New complications
Another complication arose
Losing the individual mandate, which requires people to be insured or pay a penalty, could be a crippling blow to the ACA. The system is predicated on having a large pool of insured that includes as many healthy and young people as possible to help offset the higher costs incurred by older people, those with pre-existing conditions and the sick.
During a recent phone call with reporters, Sen.
"It's time
Murray and Sen.
"Enough is enough"
Finding the perfect insurance plan can be a challenge for numerous reasons, including fewer plans being offered by fewer insurers. Both
The 47-year-old software architect from
Walton initially believed that Kaiser didn't have any health-care providers in
Walton only discovered there were Kaiser doctors and clinics in his county after a reporter contacted the
Kaiser has a plan that might work for Walton. But, he said, he is worried about other middle-class families that don't qualify for
"The problem is those of us who are stuck in the middle who have to buy these pathetic plans," he said.
Even though he can afford to pay what is offered on the exchange, it has him re-examining his choice to start his own company.
"It's been fun, but the health-insurance thing is almost enough for me to put up the white flag and say, 'Enough is enough,' " he said.
"We were fine with that (pre-Obamacare) plan. Lived with that for a little bit, then Obamacare kicked in, and my premium doubled," he said.
Watson, like Walton, is also on a Bronze plan. It was the cheapest he found that allowed for a Health Savings Account (HSA). And, like Walton, he also believes everyone needs to be insured and help spread the cost.
"I'm happy to help as long as everyone is chipping in."
Elusive issue
Universal health care has been an elusive, partisan issue in
None of that mattered in early November in the
The assistance and having access to insurance, whether it be Medicaid or a Gold plan, are invaluable, Milord said. She added that people shouldn't be afraid to ask for help based on their station in life.
"A lot of people think it is a lower standard, but I don't look at it like that. We all deserve a fair chance," she said.
___
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