A report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows more than 30,000 Hoosiers signed up for health coverage under the federal exchange surged last month.
That’s up from the end of November, when only 3,500 had enrolled.
But health care expert Chris Schrader says it’s likely not all of those people paid their premiums, meaning they still do not have coverage.
Schrader says that’s because the part of healthcare.gov that would allow enrollees to pay hasn’t been built.
Instead, people have to pay the insurance companies directly.
Schrader says insurance companies are also worried about the low number of young people signing up.
Barely one-fifth of the Hoosiers who have enrolled in the federal health exchange are between the ages of 18 and 34.
Nearly three-fifths are between the ages of 45 and 64.
That puts a larger financial burden on insurance companies because older people typically receive more medical care.