Article points to surge in Chautaqua County Health Insurance Enrollment

Western New York Healthcare Association President John Bartimole is quoted in the story published this week in the Jamestown Post-Journal; see story and link, below:

http://www.post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/674592/Doubling-Up.html

Doubling Up

Health Insurance Enrollment In Chautauqua County Surges

August 24, 2015

By Jimmy McCarthy jmmccarthy@post-journal.com , Post-Journal

          

A little over 9,500 Chautauqua County residents enrolled in health insurance through New York's Marketplace in 2015.

This year's enrollment numbers increased from the 5,000 county residents who signed up for health insurance in 2014 through the Marketplace. John Bartimole, president of the Western New York Healthcare Association, believes many people were unaware and uncomfortable with the process of the Affordable Care Act in its first year.

"I think the federal government and New York state government have done a good job educating people," Bartimole said. "As far as we're concerned in health care, the more people who have insurance, the better it is for everybody. The goal of course is to have no one going into a doctor's office or a hospital lacking insurance."

The NY State of Health Marketplace gives New Yorkers the choice to enroll in unsubsidized or subsidized private coverage, Medicaid or Child Health Plus.

A total of 2,378 enrollees in the county applied for a qualified health plan through one of five insurance companies: Health Republic Insurance of New York, Fidelis Care, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, Independent Health and Univera Care.

Health Republic Insurance of New York was the top choice for 51 percent of the applicants in Chautauqua County. Twenty-one percent enrolled through Fidelis Care.
Medicaid enrollment in the county accounted for 6,510 residents. A total of 710 individuals enrolled through Child Health Plus.

Five percent of the state's 2.1 million enrollees were from Western New York, the lowest percentage by region. Fifty-six percent of applicants were from New York City, 15 percent of applicants between the Capital and North Country regions, 12 percent of applicants from Long Island and 11 percent of applicants from the Central region.

Bartimole said the percentage of enrollees from Western New York is low because most people in the area have preexisting insurance coverage.

"We have a decent amount of insurance penetration to begin with," he said. "We still need to do more on the education front (for those) who are not yet enrolled."

Bartimole said he hopes enrollment numbers in the county and region will increase as people begin to see the affordable health insurance options. Educating people on the Affordable Care Act is important in making them aware of the process, he said.

"I hope enrollment doesn't increase because of layoffs or lost jobs since that could certainly happen. I would hope the economy in Western New York improves," he said.

The 2.1 million New Yorkers enrolled in the Marketplace in 2015 is more than double the enrollment numbers in 2014 (960,762). Eighty-nine percent of enrollees across the state reported being uninsured when they applied for coverage this year. Sixty percent of those who enrolled through the Marketplace were under the age of 35.

In Cattaraugus County, 6,704 individuals enrolled in health insurance plans through the Marketplace. A total of 4,729 individuals enrolled through Medicaid, 1,479 enrolled through qualified health plans and 496 enrolled through Child Health Plus.

"Year two of NY State of Health was nothing short of an overwhelming success," said Donna Frescatore, executive director of New York's Marketplace. "We built upon our first year's solid foundation with significant increases in enrollment and high satisfaction rates across the board. As we move closer to the third open enrollment period, slated to begin Nov. 1, this data will inform our efforts to reach more New Yorkers."

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