Affordable Care Act enrollment hits record numbers

A record number of Americans — 16.3 million — signed up for health insurance through Affordable Care Act Marketplaces in 2023, the Biden-Harris administration announced Wednesday.

According to a press release from HHS, since President Joe Biden took office, the number of people who signed up for a health care plan through HealthCare.gov has jumped by nearly 50%, saving millions of working families an average of $800 on their health insurance premiums last year.

“From November 1st to January 15th, over 16.3 million Americans signed up for insurance on HealthCare.gov and the state-based Marketplaces,” Biden said in a statement. “This is more than double the number of Americans who signed up for coverage during the first-ever Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment in 2014.”

Earlier this year, the national uninsured rate hit an all-time low, according to the release, and the 2023 Marketplace open enrollment period saw the highest number of plan selections since the ACA Marketplaces were launched a decade ago.

The plan selections, according to the release, include 12.7 million people who were automatically reenrolled or had active 2022 coverage and made a plan selection for 2023 coverage, and 3.6 million people who are new to the marketplace — 78% and 22% of the total, respectively.

“Unprecedented investments lead to unprecedented results,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the release. “The Biden-Harris administration has made lowering health care costs and expanding access to health insurance a top priority — and these record-breaking numbers show we are delivering results for the American people. We will keep doing everything we can to ensure more people have the peace of mind that comes with high-quality, affordable health care.”

This year, 92% of people enrolled in HealthCare.gov had the opportunity to choose from three or more insurance companies when shopping for plans — a “highly competitive Marketplace” that HHS said benefited individuals . Additionally, the website offered new standardization plan options this year to help consumers decide on the best plan for them.

Four out of five consumers seeking health insurance through the ACA over the last few months were able to find coverage for $10 per month or less, Biden said in the statement.

“These lower rates — which were originally delivered as part of my American Rescue Plan — were set to expire at the end of 2022, but thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, we extended them and millions of families are continuing to save $800 per person per year on their premiums,” he said. “We’ve made record-breaking progress in expanding coverage and lowering health care costs for American families, saving them money and giving more Americans the peace of mind that comes with affordable health insurance.”

References:

• Biden-Harris Administration announces record-breaking 16.3 million people signed up for health care coverage in ACA Marketplaces during 2022-2023 open enrollment season. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/01/25/biden-harris-administration-announces-record-breaking-16-3-million-people-signed-up-health-care-coverage-aca-marketplaces-during-2022-2023-open-enrollment-season.html. Published Jan. 25, 2023. Accessed Jan. 26, 2023.
• Statement from President Joe Biden on record ACA enrollment numbers. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/25/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-record-aca-enrollment-numbers/. Published Jan. 25, 2023. Accessed Jan. 26, 2023.