(Washington, DC) The District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) announced today that the Group Hospitalization and Medical Services Inc. (GHMSI), administered by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, will extend its Open Enrollment Program until February 2008 for those District residents who are unable to obtain health insurance from the market.

“DISB is pleased that GHMSI has agreed to continue providing health coverage to District residents who otherwise may not have access,” said Commissioner Thomas E. Hampton. “Studies have shown that those without insurance are more likely to delay seeking care and more likely to report being in worse health.” GHMSI will keep its Open Enrollment Program going until February 2008; or until a legislative solution takes effect.

GHMSI, the District-based affiliate of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, has operated as a nonprofit health insurer in the District since 1939. In addition to providing health insurance to District residents and businesses, GHMSI also sells its products in Maryland and Northern Virginia. The Open Enrollment Program (not to be confused with the employer-sponsored health insurance open enrollment season) is the carrier of last resort in the individual market, but it makes it possible for otherwise uninsurable individuals, such as recent graduates, those between jobs, part-time workers, early retirees or those whose employers do not offer group health insurance, to have basic health coverage. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people in the United States without health insurance increased from 45.3 million to nearly 47 million from 2004 to 2005; the District has about 80,000 residents without health insurance.