Feds report 7.3 million marketplace customers paying premiums

The Obama administration announced yesterday that 7.3 million people are up-to-date with premium payments for plans obtained through insurance marketplaces (Source: “U.S. says 7.3 million with Obamacare health plans have paid premiums,” Reuters,  Sept. 18, 2014).

The figure represents about 91 percent of the 8 million Americans who signed up for coverage through the federal exchange earlier this year. Analysts had originally estimated that about 80 percent to 85 percent of those who signed up for coverage would end up paying for their coverage.

But HHS officials cautioned against comparisons with earlier estimates, saying marketplace enrollment fluctuates in time as people change jobs, marry or experience other life-changing events. The administration had no overall enrollment estimate but said the number would probably be higher than 7.3 million because of enrollees who might have made monthly payments after Aug. 15.