State by State Enrollment in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan

The Affordable Care Act created the new Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) program to make health insurance available to Americans denied coverage by private insurance companies because of a pre-existing condition. Coverage for people living with such conditions as diabetes, asthma, cancer, and HIV/AIDS has often been priced out of the reach of most Americans who buy their own insurance, and this has resulted in a lack of coverage for millions. The temporary program covers a broad range of health benefits and is designed as a bridge for people with pre-existing conditions who cannot obtain health insurance coverage in today’s private insurance market. In 2014, all Americans – regardless of their health status – will have access to affordable coverage either through their employer or through new competitive marketplaces called Exchanges, and insurers will be prohibited from charging more or denying coverage to anyone based on the state of their health.

The PCIP program is administered by either the state or the federal government: 23 states and the District of Columbia elected to have their PCIP program administered by the federal government while 27 states have chosen to run their own programs. 

The PCIP program began accepting applications for enrollment July, 2010 (July 1, 2010 for the federal program, dates for state programs varied). The interactive table below details the date when each state began providing benefits to people accepted into the program and the number of people enrolled in the program by each state as of October 31, 2012. You can view historical data by scrolling to the right at the bottom of the table.

* Massachusetts and Vermont are guarantee issue states that have already implemented many of the broader market reforms included in the Affordable Care Act that take effect in 2014.  Existing commercial plans offering guaranteed coverage at premiums comparable to PCIP are already available in both states.

Last updated: January 18, 2013