ACA Sign-ups In Maine Lagging As Enrollment Deadline Nears

AUGUSTA, Maine - Enrollment through Maine's Affordable Care Act marketplace appears to be down significantly from the same period last year.From Nov. 1 to Dec. 8, roughly 32,275 Mainers either signed up for individual ACA insurance or actively renewed their policies - down 21 percent from 40,600 Mainers the previous year. The Portland Press Herald reports Sunday is the deadline for 2019 enrollment in Maine.
 
Health care analysts have said the drop may have resulted from the move last year by congressional Republicans to eliminate the ACA's federal income tax penalty.
 
Nationally, individual sign-ups for the first month of ACA enrollment totaled 4.1 million, down 12 percent from 4.7 million a year earlier. Figures do not include automatic renewals.