1 million users view state health insurance website
The website for Illinois' health insurance marketplace has had 1 million unique visitors, Get Covered Illinois announced on Tuesday.
The website launched on Oct. 1, and since then officials said more than 439,000 visitors have used the screening tool that directs users to either the federal or state applications for Medicaid, nutrition and income assistance. More than 168,000 Illinois residents have enrolled in Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
Technical problems with the HealthCare.gov website kept many people from signing up in the early months of the program.
The Spanish-language version of the website, which launched Oct. 22, has had more than 19,000 visits.
More than 88,000 Illinois residents signed up for private health insurance during the first four months of the nation's new insurance marketplace system. That number nearly matches the federal government's goal of 88,660 Illinois residents by the end of January.
The federal government hopes to have 143,000 signups in Illinois by March 31. Get Covered Illinois officials said that before then they plan digital, radio and TV ads and promotions online and at in-person events.
Get Covered Illinois also said Tuesday that it has more than 5,000 Facebook followers.