DC exchange enrolled the most young adults

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The health insurance exchange in Washington, D.C., has earned the distinction of enrolling the largest share of young adults--the most coveted consumer population. But it also has the fewest amount of consumers who are eligible for federal subsidies, reported The Washington Post.

By the end of March, the online marketplace, known as the D.C. Health Link, had signed up more than 9,800 people. Of those 9,800 consumers, about 46 percent were between 18 and 34 years old.

That's well over the federal announcement that only 24 percent young adults comprised the 2 million exchange enrollees as of January, FierceHealthPayer previously reported.

"We knew that about 60 percent of the uninsured are under age 40," D.C. Health Link Executive Director Mila Kofman told the Post. "We always planned to be very targeted to younger people, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with how well we did."

Marketing largely drove D.C.'s successful enrollment of young adults. The marketplace launched several outreach initiatives focused on young consumers, including a youth enrollment leadership advisory council, events at dance clubs and bars, and even reached out to young people lined up outside stores to buy Air Jordan sneakers, FierceHealthPayer previously reported.

However, only about 15 percent of the D.C. Health Link enrollees qualify for federal subsidies, compared to the national average of 83 percent in February, the Post noted.

To learn more:
- read The Washington Post article

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