HARTFORD, CT — Enrollment in Access Health CT is higher this year than it was last year at this time, but time is running out.

Officials said they’ve enrolled 9.685 customers who are new to the exchange this year, and they’ve auto-enrolled more than 91,000 customers who purchased plans with them in 2018. That brings total enrollment up to 101,054 individuals as of Nov. 30.

Last year, about 90,428 individuals had enrolled by this time.

There’s no penalty for not enrolling in a plan this year, but that has yet to impact the number of Connecticut residents from purchasing insurance.

Last year, Connecticut enrolled about 114,000 individuals, but not everyone stayed enrolled. Some may have gotten jobs that offered insurance, while others simply stopped paying their premiums. The number of enrollees dropped to about 96,000 this year.

Customers who purchased plans in 2018 should have received their annual renewal notice between October 24 and 27, 2018. Auto-renewals started happening automatically on Nov. 19.

Customers who received a notice saying they are eligible to be automatically enrolled for 2019 still have choices and can pick a different plan, Access Health CT Director of Marketing Andrea Ravitz said.

“Customers could pay more in 2019 for a couple of reasons. In 2018, they may have chosen a plan that was the lowest one in a metal tier -Bronze, Silver or Gold. In 2019, this plan may no longer be the lowest cost plan in this tier, and as a result, the monthly payment could be higher,” Ravitz said. “Or, if they had changes in their family, where they live, their age or income.”

Premiums in some of the 17 plans offered by Anthem and ConnectiCare may have gone up or down so officials are encouraging everyone to shop. The two companies offered 20 plans last year.

Customers might have also gotten a notice saying they are not eligible to be automatically enrolled, in which case they need to take action and pick a plan during open enrollment, before Dec. 15 in order to have coverage for 2019.

There are several ways to sign up with a plan, including online at accesshealthct.com, on the phone, or at an enrollment fair.

Access Health CT added two new health insurance Enrollment Fairs, one at The Lyceum – Conference Center in Hartford, Saturday, Dec. 8, and the other at UConn Stamford Auditorium, Saturday, Dec. 15. Both fairs will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We want to make sure more residents have the opportunity to speak face-to-face with Certified Enrollment Specialists and Brokers to enroll or re-enroll in healthcare coverage,” Ravitz said.

For more information on where to get in-person help enrolling visit https://learn.accesshealthct.com/locations/ or call 1-855-909-2428.

Last year, enrollment lasted until Dec. 22, but it ends this year on Dec. 15.

Officials have yet to make a decision about whether to extend the enrollment deadline. The deadline for the federal exchange is Dec. 15, but seven states that operate their own exchanges like Connecticut have extended the deadline to late December or January.