ACA marketplace enrollment reaches record high

The Affordable Care Act health insurance marketplace has set an enrollment record with nearly two weeks remaining before the exchange closes for the year (Source: “More people than ever buy insurance on Healthcare.gov,” National Public Radio, Jan. 13).

Federal officials have reported that nearly 16 million people have enrolled in ACA plans, which is about a million more people than signed up for ACA health insurance last year, with enrollment remaining open until later this month in several states, including California, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.

The big reason for the increased enrollment is that the plans are cheaper for people than they used to be. The federal government has pumped billions of dollars in recent years into subsidies to keep costs down for consumers. Health officials say 4 out of 5 enrollees qualify for plans that cost $10 or less per month. And 5 million people who are uninsured qualify for zero dollar premium plans, according to a recent analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Another reason why more people are signing up is likely because there's more logistical help. The Affordable Care Act created a program of "navigators" – people across the country who are trained to help consumers understand their options and get signed up for a health plan. It's a service paid through government grants. The Trump administration slashed the funding for this program. The Biden administration shored it up.