Open enrollment for individual coverage in the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s public health insurance exchanges began in November of last year. The deadline for enrollment is February 15, 2015.

So far approximately 9.5 million people have either newly enrolled or re-enrolled in the exchanges, with 7.1 million enrolling in the 37 states that use the federal marketplace, HealthCare.gov.

Of those 7.1 million, approximately 6.2 million received financial assistance to help pay for coverage. Also, 4.16 million re-enrolled in health plans, and 3 million selected a plan for the first time.

Again, thank you to the patients who have shared stories with us about their experiences in the exchanges. If you are a DPC member that recently enrolled in an exchange plan, let us know if you feel like insurance companies are trying to force you into Medicare. If you’re in one of the exchanges’ bronze plans, Medicare may actually cost you less out-of-pocket. It all depends on your situation, so make sure to keep well-informed and explore all of your options.