The federal government has put together a target list of 15 consumer markets it wants to hit especially hard to have more consumers sign for healthcare insurance on Healthcare.gov.
The target markets, which include about 4.3 million consumers that may be eligible but have not yet signed up for health insurance include: Miami -643,911 consumers, Dallas -382,669 consumers, Atlanta -443,720 consumers, Houston -346,882 consumers, Tampa, Fla. – 284,753 consumers, Orlando, Fla. -329.684 consumers, Chicago – 310,523 consumers and Northern New Jersey – 228,538 consumers.
Other regional markets include Philadelphia – 291,175 consumers, Charlotte, N.C. – 208,622 consumers, Detroit – 180, 516 consumers, Salt Lake City – 176,096 consumers, Phoenix – 144,196 consumers, St Louis – 134,934 consumers and San Antonio – 120,351 consumers.
Healthcare.gov is targeting the 15 areas where the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services thinks it has the best opportunity to reach consumers and have them shop online for healthcare, says Healthcare.gov CEO Kevin Counihan. “We are excited for a major outreach push in these 15 markets where we’ve seen success in the past and where the potential for enrollment growth remains high,” Counihan says.
To target and convince more consumers to sign up for healthcare insurance Healthcare.gov is working with several local organizations. In Philadelphia Healthcare.gov is working with the local gas utility, Philadelphia Gas Works, to use trained service reps at six customer contact centers to help customers of the utility company research and shop online for healthcare. Healthcare.gov also will include inserts in gas bills mailed out to 500,000 customers.
In Chicago Healthcare.gov will work with the Chicago Housing Authority to send an e-mail campaign to 25,000 residents and work with Chicago public school Medicaid counselors to make referrals to parents of families that may be eligible for healthcare insurance and benefits.
Despite steep price increases and fewer health insurance plans to pick from for the 2017 benefits enrollment season that starts Nov. 1 and ends Feb. 1, 2017, the federal government expects 13.8 million individuals to sign up for coverage through Healthcare.gov and other public health exchanges in 2017, an increase of 13% from about 12.2 million enrollees in 2016.
Date:October 31, 2016