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Census: More residents insured in Pennsylvania

New data show the number of people without insurance has dropped across the country and in Pennsylvania in recent years, with the Altoona area ranked among the top in the state.

Census estimates released last month show the uninsured rate dropped by 5 percentage points in Altoona between 2013 and 2015.

Altoona is outranked only by East Stroudsburg, where the uninsured rate dropped 5.6 percentage points.

Overall, the percentage of people without health insurance in Pennsylvania declined from 9.7 percent to 6.4 percent in the same time period.

The Pennsylvania State Data Center’s report showed Altoona’s decline is in line with the country’s overall drop: “The nation as a whole had a 5.1 (percentage point) decline in the percent without coverage during the time period, going from 14.5 percent in 2013 to 9.4 percent in 2015.”

John Maurer, data center coordinator, said that the Affordable Care Act is the primary driver of the trend and that Altoona’s ranking is noteworthy.

“This was a major, statistically significant change … that rarely occurs in a year-to-year outlook,” he said.

The data center ranked other metropolitan areas including Johnstown, which was ranked among the areas with the smallest declines, having dropped only 2.6 percentage points.

The number of uninsured people in the State College area did not significantly change between 2013 and 2015, the center reported.

Economic trends, demographic shifts and policy changes all impact health insurance rates, according to the data center, but the report noted that more people likely picked up health insurance during the measured time period because many provisions of the Affordable Care Act went into effect in 2014.

The state Department of Human Services credited Gov. Tom Wolf with the drop because he discarded the HealthyPA plan instituted by his predecessor, Gov. Tom Corbett, in favor of fully expanding Medicaid as permitted by the Affordable Care Act.

HealthyPA allowed the state to accept federal funds to expand Medicaid but only allowed them to be used for private insurance plans.

While that may explain the statewide drop, it does not show why Altoona outranked almost everywhere else in the state.

Maurer, of the data center, said there are many reasons why similar areas have different uninsured rates.

Health system outreach to customers or a large employer moving in that offers health care plans could both impact how many people choose to obtain insurance.

Susan Manko of UPMC Pittsburgh said health plan membership in Altoona has increased significantly in the last few years and the hospital system continues to reach out to people.

Problems linger with health plans, however: Manko noted that there are people who now have insurance but still do not seek treatment because they have a high deductible.

UPMC also tracks those people who have insurance but do not use medical services, she said.

“We have a huge financial assistance center … that does nothing but help people figure out how they’ll pay for their health care,” she said.

Gina Pferdehirt, public relations director for insurance services, said UPMC works with Enroll America as well to expand outreach.

Pferdehirt also credited the Medicaid expansion as a factor that would impact how many people are insured.

Amy Bradley, marketing director for Conemaugh Health System, said the hospital employs counselors who help enroll people through the Affordable Care Act.

They “walk people through the process, enroll them, help (with) the exchanges and/or to find out if they qualify for free medical care through Medicaid,” she said.

While Bradley said she could not explain why Johnstown’s uninsured rate had not dropped as much as other places, she said the hospital system tracks how many people contact them for help obtaining insurance.

And the hospital is kicking off a campaign now during the open enrollment period — Nov. 1 through Jan. 31 — to reach those people.

“We’re getting flyers and enrollment pamphlets out to all our physicians offices and hospitals,” she said.

The hospital also maintains an email account and toll-free phone number to answer questions and help people set up appointments with counselors.

Jolene Calla, vice president of health care, finance and insurance for the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Penn­sylvania, said hospital outreach has played a big role in helping people obtain insurance — especially those who are looking at plans for the first time.

“People were tending to choose the lowest plan, but it wasn’t necessarily the best plan for their needs,” Calla said. “They want coverage. They know they need the care, but they’re being very conscious of costs. They’re not looking down the horizon.”

That’s where an insurance counselor, or so-called patient navigator, comes in.

With help, counselors might help patients choose a plan that’s a little more expensive upfront but has a lower deductible or more adequately covers a health condition or necessary medications, Calla said.

According to the association, more than 1 million people have enrolled for insurance since implementation of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion.

Mirror Staff Writer Kelly Cernetich Brown is at 946-7520.

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