Oregon's Health CO-OP has pushed the enrollment deadline back to midnight on New Year's Eve, for anyone who missed the Dec. 15 cutoff for continuous coverage.
"There are so many questions about open enrollment," said Dr. Ralph Prows, CEO of the health plan. "Extending the deadline is another way of being a resource for people who aren't quite ready, who are busy with the holidays or who simply missed the deadline. The extra time takes stress out of the equation."
The Oregon Insurance Division will be releasing numbers later this week as to how many Oregonians enrolled by the Dec. 15 deadline. Open enrollment actually doesn't end until Feb. 15, but those who wanted no disruption in their current coverage needed to enroll by Dec. 15.
Prows said his plan's extended deadline will help give consumers more time to check out all carriers. The extension is only available through individuals and groups who purchase directly with the CO-OP and not through the federal exchange.
