The latest U.S. Department of Health and Human Services public exchange activity report shows some exchanges have been much faster than others at getting people to sign up.
Consumers in some states still have time to pay for coverage that starts in January, and HHS is still using private "qualified health plan" selections, rather than pay data, as the enrollment indicator.
HHS plan selection figures show that consumers had submitted coverage applications for 7.7 million people through all Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act exchanges in all states by Dec. 28.
The states found that 1.6 million of the applicants were eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Plan program, and 5.1 million were found to be eligible to enroll in a QHP.
Throughout the country, only 40 percent of the consumers found eligible for QHPs had actually chosen plans.
At the state-based exchanges, 53 percent of the 1.8 million qualified applicants – 956,991 – had picked their plans.
At the federal exchanges run by HHS, 36 percent of the 3.3 million qualified applicants picked plans.
