71K In Wisconsin Have Signed Up For Health Coverage On Exchange

The latest figures from federal officials show more than 71,000 people in Wisconisn have enrolled for health care through the federal marketplace.

71,000 signups occurred between October of last year, when the exchange started and March 1st. Initial technical glitches slowed enrollment at the beginning, but the latest signup figures are 26 percent higher than those reported in mid-February. Robert Kraig is executive director for Citizen Action of Wisconsin. He is concerned that enrollees continue to skew older.

“It’s great news that we have so many people between 55 and 64 years old who have signed up for coverage, but if we don’t have more younger people to balance them off it will raise rates next year,” Kraig said. “Wisconsin still trails in terms of balance between older and younger people signing up ”

Nationally, a quarter of those buying coverage through the health marketplace are between the ages of 18 and 34. In Wisconin, 21 percent of enrollees are in that age group. Enrollment ends March 31st. The federal government has projected that 79,000 Wisconsin residents will sign up for health care on the exchange.