50,000 new enrollees buy health insurance through state exchange

SEATTLE — With one month left in open enrollment, more than 50,000 new people have bought health insurance through the Washington health exchange.

Another 124,000 state residents have renewed their insurance coverage through the exchange.

State health officials say they are seeing a boost in enrollment among their target group of people under age 35.

Pam MacEwan, the CEO of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange, says they expect interest to peak during the last weeks of open enrollment.

Everyone who doesn’t have health insurance in 2016 —either through work or on their own — will face a bigger fine for failing to obey the rules of the Affordable Care Act. The fine goes up to $685 a year or 2.5 percent of annual income — whichever is greater — for each person.