Open Enrollment Ends March 31st

That’s the next ObamaCare metric. Or rather, that’s the next meaningful ObamaCare metric and checkpoint: what will the final numbers look like at that point, and will the administration try to extend open enrollment even further?

With respect to the Individual Mandate, somewhere along the way I read a blog post which linked to a form that showed that one could opt out by claiming, rather than a listed hardship such as an unaffordable plan, the broad category of “other hardship.” Unless this was a parody? — but I’m not able to find this form; I should have linked to it earlier! In any case, this is coming in some way or another, so it’s a nonissue.

We can also dissect the numbers on who’s signed up, what the risk adjustments will look like, but only the insurers will have the hard data on this. (And remember, I’m a pension actuary, so I don’t have any more data than you do.)

That means that the key question will be whether at least that fixed enrollment period will continue as a means of herding people into plans. And we won’t know this for three months yet.

So relax. Say the Serenity Prayer. And enjoy your New Year’s Eve.