Yesterday, HHS announced that over eight million Americans enrolled in health insurance between October 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014. That’s over a million more than the original goal for that period (seven million) and over two million more than the revised goal. As recently as the middle of March, some media outlets predicted that enrollments would fall short of this goal. But, enrollments surged during the last month of open enrollment, with the administration reporting that nearly 3.8 million people selected a Marketplace plan in the final month.

Note, too, that both the federal government and New York’s own Marketplace, NY State of Health, issued a 15-day extension period for those who ran into barriers completing their applications during this time. So, the final count of “open enrollment” sign-ups will be even higher. In New York alone, nearly 100,000 people enrolled between April 1 and April 15.

We’re looking forward to the next report of detailed demographics data from NY State of Health, something like the December Enrollment Report they released in early January. In the meantime, the HHS report gives us a taste:

• New York ranks 4th in the nation in terms of sheer number of Marketplace enrollments, with 370,451 enrollments in private Qualified Health Plans (QHPs). We’re behind only California, Florida, and Texas.
• Just over half of enrollees were women.
• About 1/3 of enrollees were young adults between 18 and 34.
• Over half of enrollees selected a Silver-level plan and over 80% selected a Silver plan or above. 
• Nearly 3 out of 4 enrollees received financial assistance (e.g. tax credits).
• States also reported the difference between March 2014 enrollment and Pre-ACA Average Medicaid and CHIP (children’s health insurance) enrollment (July-September 2013). In New York, about 343,835 additional New Yorkers enrolled in Medicaid or our Child Health Plus program during the first open enrollment period.

The federal report also includes enrollment by race/ethnicity for the federal marketplace. We don’t have this data for New York…yet. Hopefully, the next NY State of Health enrollment report will include it.