Enrollment in health care plans ahead of 2016 pace

The number of Americans signing up for health care plans under the Affordable Care Act continues to run ahead of last year in states relying on the federal insurance exchange, according to federal figures released Wednesday that span nearly half of an abbreviated enrollment season.

Between the start of the current sign-up period on Nov. 1 and last Saturday, nearly 2.28 million people chose health-care plans for the coming year — slightly more than during the first four weeks of the ACA enrollment period a year ago, reports from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show.

The latest enrollment “snapshot” shows a mild dip in the one-week sign-up figures this fall, with just under 800,000 people selecting plans during the third week, about 78,000 less than the week before.

But the proportion of newcomers to ACA insurance crept up, rising from 23 percent of the enrollment during the first two weeks to nearly 28 percent during the third week.

The latest evidence of persistent consumer interest in ACA coverage was immediately embraced by advocates for the 2010 health care law.

It is possible that the higher enrollment so far reflects public understanding that this sign-up season lasts six weeks. Only when the final total becomes available will it become clear whether the availability of ACA health plans, has become entrenched enough in the American consciousness that enrollment can withstand months of naysaying by President Donald Trump and confusion sowed by congressional Republicans’ unsuccessful efforts to dismantle major parts of the law.