Obamacare enrollment rises despite uncertainty

Despite threats of an Obamacare repeal, 11,750 Hawaii residents signed up this year to renew or buy for the first time health insurance through the federal exchange, HealthCare.gov, for coverage starting on New Year’s Day.

The number of Hawaii residents purchasing Obamacare coverage during this year’s open enrollment was up about 10 percent from last year’s 10,720, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday. Nationally, 6.4 million people selected plans since the start of open enrollment on Nov. 1, about 400,000 more than a year ago.

The numbers do not include automatic re-enrollments, which will be added to the tally. Hawaii has about 40,000 Obamacare enrollees.

Monday was the deadline for coverage beginning on Jan. 1. For the policies that begin in February, the enrollment period continues through Jan. 31.

Enrollment was up despite the fact that Obamacare health plan premiums are set to jump 35 percent for Hawaii Medical Service Association and 25.9 percent for Kaiser Permanente at the start of the year for more than 40,000 residents as the insurers struggle to balance the pool of newly insured — those who haven’t had medical care in years — with the population of healthier members to control premiums.

Under Obamacare, also known as the Affordable Care Act, those with incomes low enough can qualify for federal subsidies to reduce the cost of coverage. The state has said it doesn’t know the average federal subsidies Hawaii policyholders receive.

Republicans plan to repeal Obamacare early next year, but could take up to several years to replace it. President-elect Donald Trump, who supported the repeal of Obamacare before the election, said after the election he will consider keeping two of the law’s more popular provisions: the prohibition on denying coverage due to a patients’ pre-existing conditions and the extension of a child’s coverage on her or his parent’s policy until age 26.

The 2010 health care law added coverage for about 24 million Americans through subsidized private health insurance and a state option to expand Medicaid.

Federal officials say coverage will last at least to the end of next year.

“Consumers who purchase 2017 coverage are signing a contract with a private insurer. Health insurers have affirmed that consumers who select a plan and pay their premium will have coverage for 2017,” said HHS press secretary Jonathan Gold. “We’ve also already heard from a number of Republicans and insurance companies recognizing the importance of avoiding disruptions for 2017. We are all in for 2017 enrollment and will continue our open enrollment efforts as planned.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.