January 18, 2023 KHN

Nearly 16 Million People Have Signed Up for Affordable Health Coverage in ACA Marketplaces Since Start of Open Enrollment Period. Last year, a record 14.5 million Americans selected an ACA plan. 

Eight days into his tenure as president, Biden signed an executive order aimed at strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. A couple of months later, he signed his first major piece of legislation, the American Rescue Plan, which included provisions expanding eligibility for subsidies and increasing premium tax credits available to help low- and moderate-income Americans purchase ACA coverage.

That legislation also offered financial incentives to encourage the 12 states that had declined to expand Medicaid eligibility to do so.

The consumer subsidies were originally set to expire this year but were extended by the Inflation Reduction Act, which Biden signed into law Aug. 16, after much debate and without any Republican votes. The expanded eligibility for subsidies was also continued by this measure.

In October, the Biden administration addressed another issue in the ACA, the so-called family glitch, which prevented some people with job-based insurance from qualifying for subsidies.

READ MORE