Federal Government Reports Enrollment of 16.6 Million in Affordable Care Act Coverage Hits Record High

December 21, 2024 TruthUSA

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that this signifies ‘the highest ever’ enrollment for coverage starting Jan. 1, 2025.

A historic 16.6 million Americans have enrolled in health insurance for 2025 via the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly referred to as Obamacare, as stated by the Biden administration on December 20.

Among these participants, 2 million are new enrollments. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) indicated that those who enrolled will be entitled to up to a full year of coverage commencing Jan. 1, 2025.

According to CMS, the current number reflects selections from the 31 states utilizing HealthCare.gov, ensuring that the ACA remains “on track for a record high number of plan selections” during this year’s open enrollment period.

“The record enrollment in Marketplace coverage underscores the vital need for accessible health care,” stated CMS administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure in a statement.

Brooks-LaSure urged Americans to promptly obtain coverage through the ACA and make the most of the enhanced tax credits still available for 2025, which make insurance more affordable.

Previously, CMS extended the enrollment deadline for the coverage plan starting Jan. 1, 2025, from Dec. 15 to Dec. 18. The enrollment period for the plan that begins in February 2025 is now open until Jan. 15, 2025.

During the 2024 open enrollment period, 21.3 million individuals secured health coverage through the ACA, including 5 million first-time enrollments, as reported by the agency.

Outgoing President Joe Biden previously urged Congress to prolong the ACA after a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report indicated a potential spike in individuals lacking insurance if health care subsidies were cut. The ACA is set to lapse at the end of next year.

In a statement on Dec. 6, Biden remarked that health care should not be viewed as “a privilege.”

“Millions of Americans benefit from enhanced premium tax credits that reduce their premiums. If Congress eliminates that advantage, premiums will rise sharply, leaving 3.8 million people uninsured,” the president asserted.

“This is simply unjust. The American public shouldn’t have to face soaring health insurance premiums,” he added.

The CBO noted in its report that “individuals healthier than average will likely exit the marketplaces if the expanded credits are no longer accessible,” leading insurers to increase premiums for the remaining consumers.

The report indicated that if the ACA is not extended through 2026, the number of uninsured Americans would increase by 2.2 million, and by an average of 3.8 million annually from 2026 to 2034.

Furthermore, the report suggested that gross benchmark premiums could rise by 7.9 percent on average during the 2026–2034 timeframe if the ACA is discontinued, resulting in even more individuals leaving the marketplace.

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