The final count shows more than 84,000 Utahns signed up for health coverage available through the Affordable Care Act. Photo courtesy of the White House.  Official portrait of President Barack Obama in the Oval Office, Dec. 6, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.

SALT LAKE CITY – The final numbers are in – 84,601 Utahns signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. 

Jason Stevenson is education and communications director at the Utah Health Policy Project, which helps people enroll in the ACA. He says about half of the enrollments happened during the last few weeks of the open enrollment period, which started Oct. 1 and ended March 31.

“On March 1, we had 39,000 signed up,” he points out. “On April 15, we had 84,000 signed up. “And it was busy, I mean, we were enrolling 900 people a day in Utah, through that period.”

Stevenson adds that Utah far-exceeded the goal of registering 57,000 people during open enrollment, which was set by the Congressional Budget Office.

He says Utah also leads the nation, on a percentage basis, in signing up people 18 to 34, known as the Young Invincibles.

He says one in three of the ACA customers in Utah is a Young Invincible. 

He attributes the program’s overall success to the involvement of organizations such as the Utah Health Policy Project, and also insurance companies.

“We had six insurance companies that wanted to play ball with Obamacare here,” he explains. “They put up over 90 plans in Utah, which is a great competitive shopping experience for Utahns to go into. 

“And that meant the prices were driven down. There was more competition.”

According to the <a href=”http://goo.gl/7OdNrX” target=”parent”>U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a>, more than 8 million Americans have selected an insurance plan available through the Affordable Care Act. 

Utahns can purchase insurance at <a href=”http://healthcare.gov/” target=”parent”>healthcare.gov</a>. 

More information and assistance is available at <a href=”http://takecareutah.org/” target=”parent”>takecareutah.org</a>.