Today, HHS released a new report that shows 31 million Americans have health coverage through the Affordable Care Act – a record. The report also shows that there have been reductions in uninsurance rates in every state in the country since the law’s coverage expansions took effect. People served by the health Marketplaces and Medicaid expansion have reached record highs.
The data shows those individuals currently enrolled in health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplaces and Medicaid expansion under the ACA, including 11.3 million people enrolled in the ACA Marketplace plans as of February 2021 and 14.8 million newly-eligible people enrolled in Medicaid through the ACA’s expansion of eligibility to adults as of December 2020.
In addition, there are one million people enrolled in the ACA’s Basic Health Program, and nearly four million previously-eligible adult Medicaid enrollees who gained coverage under expansion due to the ACA’s enhanced outreach, streamlined applications, and increased federal funding under the ACA. Today’s report shows the important role the ACA has played in providing coverage to millions of Americans nationwide.
The report also shows that between 2010 and 2016, the number of nonelderly uninsured adults decreased by 41 percent, falling from 48.2 million to 28.2 million. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have experienced reductions in their uninsured rates since the implementation of the ACA, with states that expanded Medicaid experiencing the largest reduction in their uninsured rate. California, Kentucky, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and West Virginia have reduced their uninsured rate by at least half from 2013 to 2019 through enrollment in Marketplace coverage and expansion of Medicaid to adult populations. To date, 37 states and the District of Columbia have expanded Medicaid to cover adults under the ACA.
The SEP is being offered to consumers applying for new coverage or updating an existing application through HealthCare.gov, the Marketplace call center, or through direct enrollment channels. Coverage is prospective, with coverage beginning the first day of the month following the date of plan selection.
Consumers seeking to take advantage of the new SEP can find out if they are eligible by visiting HealthCare.gov.
For more information on the extended Special Enrollment Period, see this fact sheet from CMS.
All providers should remind their staff to verify patients’ insurance information at every visit. Many people are changing their insurance due to the impact of the pandemic.