Nearly 200,000 apply on NYS health exchange

ALBANY -- New York's new online health exchange reports 197,011 New Yorkers have completed applications to get insured, while 48,162 have subsequently enrolled in plans, nearly half in the government-funded Medicaid program for low-income New Yorkers.

The exchange, opened Oct. 1 as the state's response to the federal Affordable Care Act, includes low-cost plans for individuals and small businesses with coverage starting Jan. 1.

Software contractors who designed and manage the exchange expect a spike in activity in December and January.

State officials have estimated 1.1 million uninsured will enroll over the next few years.

New York's exchange was also designed to link uninsured people who are eligible to Medicaid, which already covers about 5.1 million New Yorkers. The State Health Department said the number now enrolled is an increase of about 11,000 from the 37,000 who had enrolled as of Oct. 23.

"We are very pleased to see these results, which show that tens of thousands of individuals across the state are turning to nystateofhealth.ny.gov to access low-cost health insurance," Donna Frescatore, executive director of NY State of Health, said in a statement.

The enrollment deadline is Dec. 15 for insurance to begin Jan. 1. The final enrollment deadline is March 31.-- Combined News Services