ABC News(WASHINGTON) — Nearly nine million Americans signed up for 2018 coverage on Healthcare.gov’s federal exchanges, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma said on Thursday.
The 8.8 million signups that the CMS cited in a fact sheet is just slightly lower than the approximately 9.2 million that signed up on Healthcare.gov’s federal exchanges last year. That despite cuts to advertising and outreach, as well as a shortened open enrollment period.
In a tweet, Verma said the CMS “[takes] pride in providing great customer service.”
Verma also cited a “more cost-effective outreach approach” and efforts to “minimize disruptions for consumers this year.”
The figure released by CMS on Thursday does not include sign ups by people in a number of states, like California, which have their own exchanges which won’t end until the end of January. Last year, 12.2 million people signed up for coverage on the state and federal exchanges combined.
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