Record number of Wisconsinites enroll in health coverage on Healthcare.gov

HEALTH CARE

Gov. Tony Evers, together with Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) Commissioner Nathan Houdek, announced Jan. 25 that, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), 266,327 Wisconsinites signed up for health insurance on HealthCare.gov during the 2024 Open Enrollment Period. This is a record-high number of Wisconsinites enrolled, marking a 20% increase in enrollment from the previous period.

"The health and well-being of our state and our economy depend on the health and well-being of our communities," Evers said. "We've been steadfast in encouraging folks to explore all the available plans and take advantage of the Open Enrollment period. Our state has never seen higher enrollment numbers, and I am optimistic that with this positive momentum, we will be able to continue building a healthier, stronger state together."

"From day one, we've been focused on expanding healthcare access by increasing enrollment in the high-quality insurance coverage available on HealthCare.gov," said Houdek. "This achievement is a testament to the leadership of Gov. Evers and the work of our agency partners and stakeholders across the state." Gov. Evers launched the DHS OCI Health Care Coverage Partnership in 2019 to improve coordination around outreach and education, increase enrollment and health insurance literacy, and improve enrollment retention. In 2020, this partnership launched WisCovered.com as an accessible resource for consumers to get connected with enrollment information. During this Open Enrollment Period, nearly 20,000 Wisconsinites visited the WisCovered.com website.

Although the Open Enrollment Period has closed, some individuals may still qualify for special enrollment periods throughout the year due to their personal circumstances.

Individuals who have recently lost health coverage, gotten married, or had a baby may qualify. Additionally, Tribal members and their families may enroll in coverage on the marketplace at any time. Wisconsinites can find out if they qualify for a special enrollment period by contacting a licensed health insurance agent or finding free local help through Covering Wisconsin at https://coveringwi.org/enroll.