Former President Obama Joined President Biden in a Video to Celebrate the Milestone
Over the weekend, the Biden administration announced that a record 31 million people now have coverage thanks to the Affordable Care Act. The news shines an even brighter spotlight on the Supreme Court’s pending decision on California v. Texas, former President Trump’s signature lawsuit seeking to overturn the entire health law, end its protections for 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions and rip health care away from millions of Americans. Coverage makes clear that striking down the ACA would be especially devastating as Americans are relying on the law now more than ever. The ruling could come down as early as this week.
Washington Post: Record 31 Million Americans Have Health-Care Coverage Through Affordable Care Act, White House Says. “About 31 million Americans now have health-care coverage through the Affordable Care Act, the White House announced Saturday, setting a record since the law, colloquially known as ‘Obamacare,’ was enacted in 2010 under President Barack Obama.” [Washington Post, 6/5/21]
The Hill: Obama Joins Biden To Tout Record Obamacare Enrollment Numbers. “President Biden and former President Obama teamed up Saturday to tout a new record number of people enrolled in ObamaCare. The two reunited on Zoom to announce that more than 31 million Americans have gained access to health care through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).” [The Hill, 6/5/21]
Health Affairs: Record High ACA Enrollment At 31 Million Americans. “The enrollment of 31 million people is a record high and shows an ongoing need for affordable coverage, especially for Americans without job-based coverage. This has been especially true during the pandemic—Medicaid and the marketplaces have served as an important source of coverage following job loss and economic instability. ASPE’s report also comes at a time when we are awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision in California v. Texas, a global challenge where the Court could invalidate all or parts of the ACA. The new ASPE data underscores just part of what is at stake in Texas—and the potential for coverage loss and chaos if the ACA is invalidated.” [Health Affairs, 6/7/21]
HuffPost: 31 Million Now Get Coverage Through ‘Obamacare,’ Biden Administration Says. “More people than ever are getting health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, providing new proof of the law’s value even as its survival depends on a Supreme Court ruling that could come as soon as Monday.” [HuffPost, 6/5/21]
Associated Press: Biden Turns To Obama To Help Boost Health Care Enrollment. “The White House effort to spotlight the expanded enrollment and claim strong numbers for the health law comes as the political world and the health care system await a Supreme Court ruling on the law’s constitutionality. ” [Associated Press, 6/5/21]
Rolling Stone: Record 31 Million Americans Have Coverage Because of the Affordable Care Act, White House Says. “The White House announced the numbers in a report on Saturday and released a video featuring a conversation between President Joe Biden and Obama to celebrate the news and encourage more Americans to sign up. Expanded enrollment through the federal marketplace continues until August 15, due to the ongoing pandemic…But the ACA now faces the threat of a looming Supreme Court ruling on its constitutionality. The ACA survived an earlier challenge, but with more Trump-appointed judges now on the bench, its fate is less certain.” [Rolling Stone, 6/6/21]
CNN: Biden Celebrates Health Care Milestone In Call To Obama. “The White House says that 31 million people are now covered by the Affordable Care Act. President Joe Biden called former President Barack Obama to celebrate the health care milestone.” [CNN, 6/5/21]
MSNBC: Biden, Obama Take Victory Lap as ACA Covers 31 Million Americans. “All of this coincides with the Democratic president’s special open-enrollment period, which more than a million Americans have already taken advantage of. They can continue to do so: the window doesn’t close until August. What’s more, this good news coincides with the expansive new ACA benefits included in the Democrats’ COVID relief package: some have seen their premiums cut in half, while millions have seen their premiums fall to literally zero, thanks entirely to the investments in the American Rescue Plan.” [MSNBC, 6/7/21]