White House Announces Record Health Insurance Enrollment

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President Joseph R. Biden announced a record number of Americans were enrolled in health insurance on the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).¹

The 2023 open enrollment period for ACA insurance drew almost 16.4 million individuals who selected or were automatically reenrolled in health insurance through the HealthCare.gov marketplaces and state-based marketplaces. The 2023 enrollment increased by 1.8 million individuals (13%) from 2022, and it was increased by almost 4.4 million individuals (36%) from 2021, according to figures from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).¹

“As we celebrate the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act today, we have even more evidence that this law has lived up to its name, providing a way for Americans to access quality, affordable health coverage,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.¹ “Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, more than 16 million Americans have health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces—an all-time high. We will keep doing everything we can to ensure more people have the peace of mind that comes with high-quality health care.”

Becerra and US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure emphasized results of ACA along with the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), federal legislation with health care provisions among other measures the White House used to counter economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the statement from HHS, national estimates show individuals are saving an average of more than $800 a year for insurance premiums because of subsidies in the ARP and IRA.1 Nationally, 4.6 million more individuals are receiving financial assistance in 2023 compared with 2021. In the health insurance marketplace, 92% of HealthCare.gov enrollees had access to plans from at least 3 insurance companies.¹

Between the ACA marketplaces and Medicaid expansion, 40.2 million individuals were enrolled in coverage, the highest total ever based on 2022 and early 2023 enrollment data. The number was an increase of 9.3 million from 2021 and 27.6 million—more than triple the number—more than those enrolled in 2014, according to the HHS announcement.¹

The same day, the White House published 51 state and territory fact sheets to spell out “Devastating Consequences of MAGA House Republican Plans to Gut Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.”² It was a reference to the “Make America Great Again” slogan used by Biden’s predecessor, former President Donald J. Trump.

The fact sheets show “Congressional Republicans’ reported proposals will raise premiums and health care costs, threaten health care for Americans with preexisting health conditions, slash protections against catastrophic medical bills, and will balloon waitlists for quality care for seniors and people with disabilities,” the statement noted.²

For example, in Alabama, repealing ACA and gutting Medicaid would lead to insurance premium increases averaging $8100 for 245,000 individuals, according to the fact sheet. As many as 342,000 Alabama residents would lose protection against catastrophic medical bills, and 258,000 individuals with ACA marketplace coverage for 2023 would risk losing it, the fact sheet showed.²

Read more at https://bit.ly/3EZgyBc.

References

1. Biden-Harris administration celebrates the Affordable Care Act’s 13th anniversary and highlights record-breaking coverage. HHS. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/03/23/biden-harris-administration-celebrates-affordable-care-acts-13th-anniversary-highlights-record-breaking-coverage.html

2. State fact sheets: White House lays out devastating consequences of MAGA House Republican plans to gut Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act in state-by-state fact sheets. WhiteHouse.gov. Accessed March 31, 2023. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/23/state-fact-sheets-white-house-lays-out-devastating-consequences-of-maga-house-republican-plans-to-gut-medicaid-and-the-affordable-care-act-in-state-by-state-fact-sheets/