Coverage is More Affordable Than Ever Before Thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress
The 2023 open enrollment period came to a close on Sunday and record numbers of Americans signed up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, by January 7, 2023, almost 16 million people had enrolled, including 3.1 million who are new to using the marketplace. This total is expected to grow as final enrollment numbers are expected in the coming weeks. Already the nation’s uninsured rate is at the lowest it has ever been in history at 8 percent.
While Republicans have spent years trying to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, President Biden and Democrats delivered on their promise to protect and expand it. They have passed the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, which made health care through the ACA marketplaces more affordable than ever before. The Biden administration also funded the Navigator program with the single-largest investment ever to help connect even more people to coverage, with a focus on outreach to racial and ethnic minorities, people in rural areas, LGBTQ+ people, and other underserved communities. The family glitch, which previously blocked millions of families from receiving affordable coverage under the ACA, was also eliminated, allowing an estimated 200,000 uninsured Americans to gain coverage and save hundreds of dollars each month on health premiums.
The expanded tax credits extended through the Inflation Reduction Act reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket premiums for millions of Americans and are also available for more households than ever before. According to HHS, 80% of enrollees could find coverage through the Marketplace for $10 or less – putting money back in the pockets of hardworking Americans who now won’t have to make impossible choices between lifesaving coverage and putting food on the table or paying rent. Now, the results are piling in with more Americans gaining access to quality, affordable health care.
COVERAGE
CNN: Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment Ends Sunday Amid Record Sign-Ups. “Affordable Care Act plans have grown in popularity since 2021, when the Democrats who controlled Congress at the time temporarily enhanced the program’s federal subsidies as part of the coronavirus relief package known as the American Rescue Plan. Lawmakers extended that generous help through 2025 as part of the Inflation Reduction Act – the climate, health care and tax package that became law last summer.” [CNN, 1/13/23]
NPR: More People Than Ever Buy Insurance on Healthcare.gov. “What’s driving the upward trend? The big reason is that the plans are cheaper for people than they used to be. The federal government has pumped billions of dollars in recent years into subsidies to keep costs down for consumers. Health officials say 4 out of 5 enrollees qualify for plans that cost $10 or less per month. And 5 million people who are uninsured qualify for zero dollar premium plans, according to a recent analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation.” [NPR, 1/13/23]
Fox News: Almost 16 Million Americans Have Signed Up for Obamacare Plans in 2023. “Nearly 16 million Americans have so far signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace, a 13% jump from a year earlier, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Wednesday. Enrollment for 2023 healthcare plans under the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, is open between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15. About 3.1 million people who have signed up for the plans are new enrollees, HHS said.” [Fox News, 1/11/23]
Money: Obamacare Enrollment Reaches Record High With Cheaper Plans and ‘Family Glitch’ Fix. “About 5 million uninsured people can enroll in ACA coverage nationwide as a result of these policies, according to a Kaiser analysis. Single young adults, low- and middle-income families, single parents and elderly people are saving thousands of dollars on health insurance.” [Money, 1/17/23]
NPR: 2022 Was a Record High Year for Obamacare Enrollment. “Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News: ‘We’re seeing, you know, close to 16 million people, as you said, and that’s up from, you know, 14 1/2 in 2022, which itself was a record. So this trend appears to be going up. And people who study this say there’s several factors, but probably the biggest one is there are these enhanced subsidies that were first put into effect with the stimulus bill, and then they were extended in the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed in August. And basically, these subsidies help people pay part or even, in some cases, all of their monthly premium.’” [NPR, 1/15/23]
Fierce Healthcare: HHS: Uninsured rates decline for younger Americans from 2019 through 2021. “The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report Friday detailing gains in coverage from 2019 through 2021. Officials attributed a decline in the uninsured rate from 11.1% in 2019 to 10.5% in 2021 due to expansions in Medicaid and other gains via the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) marketplace. ” [Fierce Healthcare, 1/11/23]
(GA) Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Decade In, Georgia Aca Signups Reach Record High. “The numbers enrolled for 2023 are still being counted, but could reach 1 million insured Georgians by the time open enrolment closes Sunday at midnight. If it does, approximately 1/10th of the state’s population would be obtaining insurance through the marketplace.” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1/13/23](NV) Nevada Current (Opinion): Affordable Health Insurance Empowers Us All. “This is just one reason I’m thankful for access to an affordable and accessible health plan through Nevada Health Link, the state’s health insurance marketplace for qualified health and dental plans. Access to affordable, comprehensive health coverage eliminates that fear and allows thousands of Nevadans like me to have the flexibility and freedom to chart our own path while still having the peace of mind to see a doctor as needed.” [Nevada Current, 1/10/23]