This is the last week to sign up for health insurance through the exchange. More than 209,000 people in North Carolina have enrolled as of the first week in December, according to the federal count.
This year consumers have a shorter window to sign up and the federal government spent less on advertising. To counteract that, NC Health Director Betsey Tilson says the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services mailed letters to people who might be eligible.
“We knew the portion of the population that might be eligible depending on other services the family members might have been receiving,” she said.
With several attempts to change or repeal the Affordable Care Act this year, Tilson said one of the biggest challenges has been explaining that people can still buy health insurance coverage on the exchange.
President Trump ended the cost-sharing reductions, which is a form of financial aid to insurance companies that allowed them to charge consumers lower premiums. However, many people still qualify for the other form of financial aid, which is a tax credit.
Nearly 550,000 North Carolinians signed up for insurance during last year’s open enrollment period.