In a significant announcement on Wednesday, the Biden administration declared that a record-breaking number of Americans have enrolled in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare, for the year 2024. This achievement marks the third consecutive year in which ACA enrollment has set a new record.
Surpassing the 21 million mark, more than 21 million individuals have actively enrolled in health plans through the ACA’s health insurance marketplaces. Among them, 16 million were individuals renewing their coverage, while an additional 5 million were newcomers to the marketplaces.
The open enrollment period for the ACA marketplace concluded last week in 32 states utilizing the federal HealthCare.gov platform. In contrast, 18 states and Washington, D.C. independently operate their own marketplaces. Four states and Washington, D.C., continue to accept applications for open enrollment until January 31, suggesting that the final enrollment numbers for 2024 are anticipated to rise.
CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure emphasized the historic nature of these enrollment figures, emphasizing the pressing need for comprehensive, quality, and affordable health insurance. She highlighted the imperative to protect and expand access to coverage for all Americans.
Under the Biden administration, there has been a remarkable surge in the enrollment rate each year. Comparing the years 2023 and 2024, marketplace signups experienced a substantial 30% growth. The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) – formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation – reported that enhanced subsidies introduced in the American Rescue Plan Act and the Inflation Reduction Act were instrumental in driving the majority of the growth during the Biden era. Additionally, increased efforts in marketing, outreach, and enrollment assistance also contributed to the overall growth in ACA enrollment.
A notable trend observed is the significant increase in ACA enrollment between 2020 and 2024, with an 87% rise. It is worth noting that 2020 had marked the lowest enrollment total, except for the initial year when the marketplaces were first launched in 2014. Conversely, the period from 2016 to 2020, under the administration of former President Donald Trump, witnessed a 10% decline in the number of signups – dropping from 12.7 million to 11.4 million.
Certain states played a pivotal role in driving the national growth in marketplace enrollment for the year 2024. Texas, with 3.48 million enrollments, and Florida, with 4.2 million enrollments, were among the states significantly contributing to this surge. Other states that demonstrated noteworthy percent increases in signups since 2023 included West Virginia (80%), Louisiana (76%), Ohio (62%), Indiana (60%), and Tennessee (59%).
The Department of Health and Human Services shared that the federal 2024 marketplace open enrollment period spanned from November 1, 2023, to January 16, 2024, for states utilizing the federal HealthCare.gov platform. However, state-based marketplace enrollment deadlines varied.
This unprecedented level of ACA enrollment in 2024 underscores the growing demand for accessible and affordable health insurance, signaling the ACA’s effectiveness in providing a sense of security through health coverage to millions of Americans. The Biden administration’s efforts, coupled with enhanced subsidies and increased outreach, have played a pivotal role in achieving this historic milestone.