Pennie, the state's health insurance marketplace, will open again to enrollments Feb. 15 through May 15.

The Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority announced Wednesday the extension of enrollments through the state-based insurance marketplace, which was first open to enrollments Nov. 1 through Jan. 15.

During Pennie's inaugural session, more than 330,000 Pennsylvanians signed up for health insurance, an increase of more than 5,000 from state residents who used the federal health insurance marketplace the year prior. An additional amount of households, numbering more than 44,000, were referred by Pennie to enroll in either Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, helping 30,000 families who were denied for those programs find affordable insurance.

About 90% of Pennie customers receive premium subsidies, which shrunk the average monthly premium by 4%; customers receiving advance premium tax credits pay on average 13.5% less this year than the year prior.

Part of the savings Pennie realizes comes from the state's reinsurance program, called PA Re, that reimburses insurers for high-cost claims, which the state claimed in July would decrease premiums for other insured Pennsylvanians and even decrease the subsidy the state pays.

Pennie's Special Enrollment period is designed to help those who have been impacted by the pandemic, but all Pennsylvanians are eligible to enroll.

“Pennie's support does not end with Open Enrollment,” executive director Zachary W. Sherman said. “The economic and public health implications of the pandemic have been and continue to be destabilizing, impacting the lives of so many Pennsylvanians. Anyone without health insurance will have more time to sign up through Pennie, giving those eligible access to financial assistance and comprehensive coverage, including for COVID-19 related treatment and services.”