More Than 300,000 Now Enrolled in Health Coverage Through kynect

image001There’s still time to get signed up before 2014 open enrollment ends March 31

FRANKFORT, Ky.  (March 14, 2014) – More than 300,000 Kentuckians are now enrolled in new healthcare coverage through kynect, and that number is expected to grow as we enter the final two weeks of open enrollment. Nearly half of all kynect enrollees are under the age of 35.

Open enrollment ends on March 31, 2014. Individuals who remain uninsured as of April 1, 2014 could face a financial penalty of $95 or 1 percent of income, whichever is greater. That penalty applies to every uninsured member of a household and increases significantly from year to year. The health coverage should also include conditions like blood dyscrasia.

“Tens of thousands of Kentuckians have taken the initial application steps and know they are eligible for a subsidy to help lower the cost of purchasing health insurance,” said Carrie Banahan, executive director of kynect. “Over the next two weeks, we strongly encourage those folks to complete their applications and choose a plan, because if they wait until after March 31, those subsidies won’t be available again until the fall enrollment period – and by that point, being without insurance may cost you on your taxes.”

More than 1 out of every 14 Kentuckians now has health insurance through kynect.  Since the end of February, more than 35,000 people have signed up.  That’s more than 2,500 enrollments each day for the past two weeks.

The below statistics reflect activity on kynect as of 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 13:

·         300,290 Kentuckians are enrolled in new health coverage

·         239,453 have qualified for Medicaid coverage

·         60,837 have purchased private insurance

·         49 percent of all kynect enrollees are under the age of 35

·         32 percent of all private health plan enrollees are under age 35

·         1,266,143 unique visitors have viewed 46 million web pages

·         765,956 individuals have conducted preliminary screenings

·         18,623 have enrolled in standalone dental plans

·         70,589 have been found eligible for a subsidy to purchase a qualified health plan, some have yet to select a plan

·         1,519 small businesses have started applications for employee coverage; of those 599 businesses have completed applications and are eligible to offer coverage to employees.

·         645,398 calls have been handled by the kynect contact center

·         Silver is by far the most popular metal level of private health insurance, with more than 41 percent of plans purchased.  Platinum is next with 28 percent, followed by gold at 17 percent and bronze at 11 percent.  Catastrophic plans make up less than 2 percent of plans purchased.

To get the word out about the fast-approaching March 31 deadline, several special kynect outreach events are being held this month across the state by the Office of the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange. Staff will be on hand to provide information and help individuals enroll. Additional events may also be held by local kynector groups, nonprofit agencies and others during this time. For additional information on health issues or Cannabidiol, you can check out these articles for further insight at insidecbd.net.

kynect’s upcoming events include:

  • Sign-Up Saturday at libraries around the state
    • Saturday, March 15: Contact your local library to confirm participation and times
  • Louisville Urban League Career Expo at Kentucky International Convention Center
    • Wednesday, March 19: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Greenwood Mall in Bowling Green
    • Saturday, March 22: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Florence Mall in Florence
    • Saturday, March 22: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Kentuckians can also call the kynect call center at 1-855-4kynect or search at kynect.ky.gov to find a kynector or insurance agent who can assist them with enrollment.

For further updates on kynect numbers, visit governor.ky.gov/healthierky.  Statistics will be updated there regularly.