In a conference call today, outgoing Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sibelius announced that eight million Americans, and 36,584 Montanans, had signed up for healthcare in the Affordable Care Act's insurance marketplace.

In a question and answer session, following the announcement, HHS officials made clear that they still did not know how many of those that signed up for insurance had actually paid for it. Questions about the number of enrollees that had actually paid came on the heals of a study released by the Republican led House Energy and Commerce Committee, which claims that only 67 percent of enrollees had paid as of April 15. The same study claims only 66 percent of Montanans have paid.

Other unanswered questions surround 5.5 million people who HHS claims submitted applications, but did not go on to purchase plans. It is still unclear why the application process went unfinished.

Below are the numbers in Montana as released by HHS:

  • 36,584 Montanans selected Marketplace plans from October 1, 2013, through March 31, 2014, (including additional Special Enrollment Period activity through April 19th).
  • Of the 36,584 Montanans who selected a plan:
  • 53% are female and 47% are male;
  • 34% are under age 35;
  • 28% are between the ages of 18 and 34;
  • 56% selected a Silver plan, while 27% selected a Bronze plan; and,
  • 86% selected a plan with financial assistance.

A detailed look at the new numbers can be found on the Department of Health and Human Services website.

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