HealthSource RI is wrapping up its open enrollment period amid uncertainty about the future of state-run health care exchanges under President Donald Trump. Signups are down slightly over last year.
The state’s online health insurance marketplace has sold health insurance plans to about 30,000 Rhode Islanders. That number has stayed relatively steady over the past few years. But it was down by about 15% this year over last. Director Zach Sherman says one reason is that more renewing customers were eligible for state aid.
“We saw a slightly higher rate of existing customers renew into Medicaid,” said Sherman.
Medicaid is the state’s health insurance program for the poor and disabled. Sherman says another reason enrollment is down is that there are fewer people without insurance in Rhode Island, and therefore fewer potential customers.
“We’ve been very successful in driving down the rate of the uninsured, so the pool of uninsured folks is now less than four and half percent. It’s lower than it has been in previous years,” Sherman said.
Note: Listen to The Pulse this Thursday on Morning Edition for an in-depth conversation with HealthSource RI Director Zach Sherman about the potential impact of the repeal of the Affordable Care Act on the exchange.
