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Michiganders are signing up for Obamacare at a faster pace, but the deadline looms

Steve Carmody
/
Michigan Radio
The Obama administration says, through the end of January, about 112,000 Michiganders have picked insurance plans using the federal health care website.

The Obama Administration says Michiganders are signing up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act at a faster pace than expected. But time is running out.

Michiganders have until the end of March to sign up for health insurance or face a federal tax penalty.

The Obama administration says through the end of January, about 112,000 Michiganders have picked insurance plans using the federal health care website.

Roughly 36,000 people picked a plan last month, the fourth month of enrollment that ends in late March;  86% of all those signing up have qualified for tax credits to offset a portion of their premium.

A memo to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius projected Michigan would have 100,000 signups through January.

It’s not clear how many of them were uninsured before Obamacare became law or how many lost their old health coverage when insurance companies dropped their policies.

This weekend, there will be a big push to get people under 34 years old to sign up. Young adults are both key to the success of the Affordable Care Act and among the slowest to sign up in the program.

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan is encouraging young people to sign up now and avoid what may be a crush of last minute sign ups next month.

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005. Steve previously worked at public radio and television stations in Florida, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and also has extensive experience in commercial broadcasting.
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting.
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