Health exchange enrollment nears 26K

Since open enrollment on the state health exchange began earlier this month, 25,780 Marylanders have enrolled in health coverage, state officials said Tuesday.

The count, which is for the period from Nov. 15 through Nov. 24, includes enrollment in private health plans as well as Medicaid enrollment. A little more than 11,000 of those people were enrolled in Medicaid, while 14,749 people chose private plans.

Montgomery County topped the sign-up list with 5,824 enrollees. Prince George’s County was second, with 3,566 enrollees, closely followed by Baltimore County, with 3,537 enrollees.

Baltimore city and Anne Arundel County were No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.

State officials, including Gov. Martin O’Malley and Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, were quick to praise the numbers as evidence that revamping the health exchange was the right decision.

Open enrollment on the exchange continues until Feb. 15, 2015. However, consumers must enroll in insurance by Dec. 18, 2014 if they want their coverage to begin on Jan. 1.