AUGUSTA — More than 13,700 Maine residents picked plans on the health care exchange in the first three months of open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act, but most Mainers getting coverage are older, according to figures released by the federal government on Monday.

Nearly 12,000 people signed up for coverage last month in Maine, one of the 36 states using the website run by the federal government. That’s almost seven times as many as the first two months, the report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows.

Nationally, more than 2 million people signed up through the end of December. Adults ages 55-64 were the most heavily represented, accounting for 33 percent of the total.

In Maine, 43 percent were in that age range, according to the report. Only 18 percent of those who signed up were between the ages of 18 and 34.

Mitchell Stein, policy director of Consumers for Affordable Health Care, which supports the law, said that’s to be expected as Maine has the oldest population in the country. Experts anticipate that younger people also will wait until the last minute to sign up, he said.

Enrollment on the exchange will remain open through March.

Meanwhile, at 55 percent, slightly more women have chosen plans than men in Maine. Eighty-seven percent are getting financial help to pay their monthly premium.

Affordable Care Act 101

We break down the ACA, what it does and what it requires you to do.

• Just the FAQs ma’am: Frequently asked questions and helpful answers
• An ACA Timeline: How health care coverage has evolved.
• Where to get assistance and more info: There are more sources of information and help understanding how the Affordable Care Act affects you.

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