For The Third Year In A Row, ACA Health Insurance Plans See Record Signups

Oleh Admin 27 Des, 2023 Posting Komentar

For the third year in a row, the number of Americans enrolled in Affordable Care Act health insurance programs reached a record high.

More than 19 million people have signed up for the insurance plan, often known as Obamacare, with three weeks left to sign up, federal health officials said Wednesday.

As of Dec. 15, HealthCare.gov, an online portal where people can find and buy health insurance plans in most states, had 745,000 people enrolled in plans. Health officials said it was the portal's biggest day since it opened a decade ago.

"Four out of five people who shop on a marketplace website get a plan with a premium of $10 or less per month," Health and Human Services Secretary Javier Becerra told NPR. “You can't go to the movies for $10. Here’s a month of health insurance for $10 or less.”

This includes the 19 million Americans who buy health insurance through government marketplaces such as CoveredCalifornia and people living in the 33 states that use federal marketplaces. These states already have more than 15 million people registered, up about 4 million from last year.

Even if you live in a state that has its own marketplace, HealthCare.gov is a good place to start if you need to buy your own insurance. This will direct you to your state exchange.

Despite high coverage rates, approximately 25 million Americans still lack health insurance. Becerra noted that before the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, nearly twice as many Americans were uninsured.

“If we had just ten states that still haven't expanded their Medicaid program that they are eligible for under Obamacare, we could probably help significantly reduce that 25 million number,” Becerra said. “But there are some states that still refuse to help their citizens get health insurance through Medicaid.”

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Medicaid, the federal and state health insurance program for low-income people, grew to about 94 million Americans during the pandemic when states were not allowed to exclude anyone. States began reconsidering who should receive insurance, and at least 12 million people were removed from the rolls. Some of them lose their insurance due to procedural errors.

Some of those opting out of Medicaid are eligible for a big deal on Healthcare.gov, but Becerra admits others likely "won't make it."

“We need states to help us ensure that they are not depriving people of the coverage that they are entitled to under our programs, whether it's Medicaid or Obamacare,” Becerra said.

While President Trump was in office, the number of people without health insurance rose sharply as his administration limited application times and cut funding to inform people about ACA coverage. Trump has said he would repeal the ACA if re-elected.