Groups in Ohio who helped enroll residents in health plans through the federal insurance marketplace say in-person assistance was key to getting people to sign up, particularly minorities.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the final enrollment figures on Thursday showing that 154,668 Ohioans signed up for coverage under President Barack Obama's health law. The nonprofit Enroll America said residents were more likely to successfully enroll when they had help from a counselor, compared to consumers who tried to sign up online without help. The organization said such in-person assistance was particularly crucial to minorities. The federal report also shows that among Ohio residents who voluntarily disclosed their race or ethnicity, 81 percent were white, 11.5 percent were African Americans and about 2 percent Latino.