Pennsylvania’s insurance sign-ups dip after Medicaid expands

    Officials say the number of Pennsylvanians enrolled in insurance plans sold through the federal marketplace shrank from a year ago as some people migrated to Medicaid after the program’s eligibility guidelines expanded.

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Friday cited Medicaid’s growth for the drop to 439,000 Pennsylvanians who enrolled for 2016 coverage from the 471,000 who enrolled last year.

    Sunday was the deadline to enroll for 2016 coverage in an insurance plan sold through the marketplace created by the 2010 health care law. Figures from the state Department of Human Services show that Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program grew by 440,000 people in 2015 to a record of nearly 2.7 million.

    The state’s Medicaid expansion under the 2010 law began on Jan. 1, 2015.

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