More Wyoming Residents Select Marketplace Health Plans

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — More Wyoming residents are selecting health insurance plans from the Affordable Care Act marketplace even as lawmakers consider repealing the act.

Data from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released Wednesday shows that nearly 25,000 Wyoming residents purchased health plans from the marketplace, a 4 percent increase from last year.

The increased number comes as Congress considers legislation to overhaul President Barack Obama's health care law, including aspects of the insurance exchange.

Tracy Brosius of Wyoming Institute of Population Health, which oversees a program that helps people obtain insurance through the exchange says about 20 percent of the people she worked with were new to the exchange. Many had job changes or lost their insurance or were nearing the age of 26.