Record-Breaking Health Coverage Gains Under the Affordable Care Act

The Biden administration announced Friday that the Affordable Care Act has helped send the nation's uninsured rate to near record lows, with an estimated 35.8 million people now covered as of early 2022. This includes over 13.6 million people enrolled in policies purchased on the Obamacare exchanges and more than 21 million people in Medicaid expansion coverage. The uninsured rate fell to 8.8% in the fourth quarter of last year, down from 10.3% in the same period of 2020. These gains could start melting away as early as this summer if the nation's public health emergency is not renewed.

Key Takeaways:

• The Affordable Care Act has helped send the nation's uninsured rate to near record lows, with an estimated 35.8 million people now covered as of early 2022.
• Over 13.6 million people enrolled in policies purchased on the Obamacare exchanges, while more than 21 million people are in Medicaid expansion coverage.
• The uninsured rate fell to 8.8% in the fourth quarter of last year, down from 10.3% in the same period of 2020, representing about 4.9 million people obtaining coverage.
• Enhanced federal subsidies for Obamacare policies have drawn more Americans to the exchanges, with 2.8 million people enrolling during a six-month special enrollment period.
• Medicaid enrollment has swelled over the past two years due to states not being allowed to remove anyone involuntarily from coverage during the pandemic in exchange for a more generous federal Medicaid match.

Statistics:

• 35.8 million people are now estimated to have health coverage as of early 2022, up from 27.1 million in 2020.
• 13.6 million people are enrolled in policies purchased on the Obamacare exchanges.
• 21 million people are in Medicaid expansion coverage, including 16.8 million who were not eligible prior to the landmark health reform law.
• 8.8% is the uninsured rate in the fourth quarter of last year, down from 10.3% in the same period of 2020.
• 4.9 million people obtained coverage, representing the decrease in the uninsured rate.
• 2.8 million people enrolled in Obamacare plans during a six-month special enrollment period.
• 14.5 million people selected plans during open enrollment for 2022 coverage, although not all ended up actually enrolling.
• Up to 14.4 million people could lose Medicaid coverage if the public health emergency expires after the second quarter of this year, according to the Urban Institute.

Sources:

• Biden administration press release announcing record-breaking health coverage gains under the Affordable Care Act.
• Department of Health and Human Services, citing an estimated 35.8 million people now covered as of early 2022.
• National Health Interview Survey data, citing an uninsured rate of 8.8% in the fourth quarter of last year.
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, launching a special enrollment period for lower-income Americans.
• Urban Institute, citing up to 14.4 million people who could lose Medicaid coverage if the public health emergency expires.
• CNN article, citing the Biden administration's announcement of record-breaking health coverage gains.