More Texans are signing up for health insurance through the Obamacare marketplace this year than last year.
According to data from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, enrollment is up more than 20% in Texas compared to this time last year. At this point last year, 538,469 Texans had signed up for plans. So far this year, 621,085 Texans have enrolled.
Stacey Pogue, a senior analyst with the policy think tank Every Texan, says more people are turning to the online marketplace, because they've lost their jobs and the employer-based health plans that came with them.
“The health insurance marketplace was built to be a place to get health insurance when you can’t get it through your job,” she said, “and for coverage in that marketplace to be affordable for people with modest incomes up to middle incomes.”
Pogue said it’s also likely people are more worried about having health insurance these days.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if people are more aware of their exposure to big health care costs in the year when there is a pandemic,” she said.
You can sign up for a health plan at healthcare.gov. The last day to enroll is Tuesday.
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