ACA health insurance exchange enrollment hits 30k in South Dakota; exceeds 2017 figure

The number of enrollees through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance marketplace for 2018 reached 30,090 as of the Dec. 15 deadline according to information released by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The number represents a slight increase over last year’s enrollment figure of 29,622, which was a record.

Nationally, 8.8 million individuals signed up for coverage, despite a significant reduction in advertising and outreach resources and a shorter (45- versus 90-day) enrollment period.  The national enrollment number is approximately four percent lower than the previous year.

The enrollment numbers are not yet final as figures do not account for people who were “in line” to enroll and are therefore eligible for enrollment after Dec. 15. Also, the numbers do not include several states who operate their own marketplaces and had enrollment deadlines after Dec. 15.