No enrollment tally released

Hawaii is one of only three states that did not provide data to the federal government on the number of people who have signed up for private health insurance through the online marketplaces created by President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act.

The Obama Administration said Wednesday that more than 106,000 people selected medical plans in October, the first month of open enrollment, but the report released by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department did not include figures from Hawaii, Oregon and Massachusetts.

"Why is it that they refuse to disclose it to the public? Even if the numbers are low they can still talk about that because it’s still public information," said Sen. Sam Slom (R, Hawaii Kai-Kuliouou-Niu), the only lawmaker who voted against the creation of the private, nonprofit Connector the Legislature established in 2011. "They’re spending a lot of money and have got a lot of people on board. It’s very frustrating for the media and for the taxpayers. They’ve made promises that they have not kept. They talked about deadlines, which are not met. It indicates that they’re not being realistic or responsible to the public. From a legislative standpoint, it’s unacceptable."

Coral Andrews, executive director of the Hawaii Health Connector, didn’t respond to requests for comment on why the organization hasn’t disclosed enrollment numbers. Instead, she released a statement saying the Connector expects enrollment figures to climb as the Dec. 15 payment deadline nears for coverage that begins on Jan. 1.

"We’re gearing up for the anticipated increase in activity on our Web portal, through our contact center and in coordination with our community based marketplace assister organizations," she said in the statement.

Andrews previously told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that she expects to enroll as many as 300,000, including an estimated 100,000 uninsured, in the first few years of operation.

The Connector, which received $205 million in federal funds to build the exchange, did report how many applications it had last month and how many of those applications were deemed eligible. The exchange completed 1,754 applications for 2,379 individuals between Oct. 1 and Nov. 2. Of those, 1,156 individuals were eligible to enroll in a marketplace plan.

The number of applications the Connector received in October was the fifth-lowest in the nation overall and the lowest on a per capita basis. Only Alaska, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota, with much lower populations, processed fewer applications.

"Our team has been working around the clock to promote access to coverage, to assist with enrollment and to take calls from the interested residents of Hawaii," Andrews said in the statement. The Connector’s efforts are "proving to be effective in processing applications as quickly and efficiently as possible to ensure the community has easy access to the enrollment process," she said.

Hawaii’s state-based health insurance exchange is designed to match low-income residents with subsidized health plans. The online marketplace is the only place consumers and small businesses can apply for tax credits to reduce the cost of health coverage.

The Connector failed to launch as planned at the start of open enrollment on Oct. 1 and did not go live until Oct. 15 due to software problems, which continue to plague the online marketplace. The Affordable Care Act requires most Americans obtain health coverage next year or face tax penalties.