More than 20 million people enrolled in Obamacare, a number that breaks the record for a third consecutive year.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said that enrollment for 2024 Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans surpassed the threshold with just less than a week left for people to sign up for plans.
Obamacare Enrollments Surpass 20 Million
United States President Joe Biden's administration recorded an unprecedented number of enrollees to Obamacare, surpassing numbers for the third consecutive year.
The development exceeds the number of enrollments recorded last year, which was at 16.3 million, by roughly 25%. United States President Joe Biden added that the country has hit a major milestone in lowering costs and ensuring that all Americans have access to quality health care.
The most recent enrollment period for Obamacare ends on Tuesday and was marked by several factors that made it unique compared to previous years. First of all, the timeline for enrollment was more flexible, with those who were disenrolled from Medicaid last year being given an earlier timeline to start to enroll, as per The Hill.
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said that the number of enrollments marked a momentous day. He noted that an unprecedented number of Americans now have health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act's Marketplace.
He noted that this represents a number that is more than any point in history. Becerra argued that with more people having access to preventive care, it means that the United States is a healthier country and there would be lower health care costs across the board.
HealthCare.gov applications were also given more time than in previous years to submit documents that verify their income. Additionally, more insurers than ever also participated in the marketplace this time around, providing customers with a wider variety of plans to choose from.
Sign-ups for Obamacare surged after Biden took office, with Democratic lawmakers rolling out a series of tax breaks. These gave millions of Americans access to low-cost plans, some with zero-dollar premiums, according to the Associated Press.
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Breaking Record for Third Consecutive Year
The president said that "We must build upon this progress and make these lower health care premiums permanent." However, the Democrat argued that extreme Republicans were blocking these efforts at every turn.
On Wednesday, the nation's top health official credited piqued interest in the coverage with an aggressive campaign to get people enrolled. The Biden administration has worked with non-profits across the nation, including in predominantly Black and Latino communities, such as South Florida, to get new people into coverage.
The government also invested millions of dollars into hiring navigators who help people enroll, a program that was decimated while former President Donald Trump was in office. Becerra said that the previous administration made no effort to let people know what they could get.
A health policy expert at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Adrianna McIntyre said that the marketplaces are getting stronger and more embedded into the fabric of U.S. healthcare. She argued that when the marketplaces grow, the more it enhances their stability.
Enrollees of the program include 39-year-old Kennita Hickman, who has several autoimmune disorders and was on the verge of losing her Medicaid coverage late last year. This was because her income was too high to qualify for the government program, said the New York Times.
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