More than 116,000 consumers purchased health care coverage through Access Health CT during the 2016 Open Enrollment Period, the quasi-public agency that runs the state's online health insurance exchange announced Monday.

This represents the strongest enrollment period the state has seen since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, according to a news release from Access Health CT.

“This is good news for Connecticut,” said Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, chairwoman of Access Health CT's Board of Directors. “The AHCT team did a great job of reaching out to Connecticut’s uninsured — and connecting with some of the hardest residents to reach. We are very pleased to report that this our most successful open enrollment to date. It means healthier communities, a stronger, healthier risk pool, and a more productive state.”

From Nov. 1 through Jan. 31, Access Health CT enrolled a total of 116,019 Qualified Health Plan private insurance members, 20,000 of whom are new to the system. Working with the state Department of Social Services, they also enrolled 258,000 residents in Medicaid, 41,000 of whom are new. Total open enrollment in 2016 was more than 374,000 people.