Last year under the Biden-Harris administration, more than 20 million people have chosen affordable health insurance on the ACA marketplace since the beginning of the open enrollment period?

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today that more than 20 million people have chosen a health insurance plan on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace since the 2024 Marketplace open enrollment period began on November 1 - a record number of enrollments.

Today's data reflects activity through December 23 (Week 8) for the 32 states using HealthCare.gov and the 18 states and the District of Columbia with state-based Marketplaces. The total number of plans selected includes more than 3.7 million people (18% of the total) who are enrolling in Marketplaces for the first time for 2024 and 16.6 million people (82% of the total) who had active insurance for 2023 and selected a plan for 2024 or were automatically re-enrolled. Since President Biden took office, the number of plans selected has increased by more than 8 million people.

The 2024 Marketplace open enrollment period will run from November 1, 2023, through January 16, 2024, for states using the HealthCare.gov platform. Consumers who enroll by midnight on January 16 will be able to get coverage beginning February 1, 2024. Marketplace enrollment deadlines vary by state. State-specific deadlines and other information can be found in the State Marketplace Open Enrollment Fact Sheet - PDF .

"Today is a momentous day. A record number of people in the United States have health insurance through the Affordable Care Act's Marketplace - more than at any time in history. More people with access to preventive care means a healthier country and lower health care costs overall," said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. Quality health care gives people the peace of mind they need to fully participate in society, spend time with those they love, and realize their part of the American dream." President Biden promised to expand access to affordable, quality health care, and these results show that he is working for the American people. His leadership has been essential."

"Today's announcement means more than 20 million people can be assured that they will have access to affordable health care in 2024. That's a connection to insulin, to high blood pressure medications, to all essential health benefits," said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-Lasure. "This year's plan selection is a record-breaking achievement. It shows how far we have come and how much this administration values and continues to build on the legacy of the Affordable Care Act nearly 14 years after its passage."

The Biden-Harris Administration continues to fulfill its commitment to make health insurance affordable and accessible to all. The Inflation Reduction Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan continue to help make insurance more affordable in the marketplace. Last enrollment cycle, the Administration allocated nearly $100 million for Navigator premiums, allowing organizations to hire staff trained to help consumers find affordable and comprehensive health insurance. Navigators, as they are called, have played a key role in helping consumers enroll in quality health insurance plans in all Marketplace states.

The Biden-Harris Administration encourages all families to visit HealthCare.gov to learn about the health insurance and savings options available to them. Due to the provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, CMS expects that nine out of ten clients will qualify for savings.

People with existing insurance through HealthCare.gov are encouraged to go back and shop around to see if another plan at a lower price fits their needs.

Today's release also highlights the importance of Marketplace coverage for people transitioning from Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) as states conduct Medicaid and CHIP renewals that will begin in 2023. People who are no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP should visit HealthCare.gov to see if they are eligible to enroll in a low-cost, high-quality health plan today.

Individuals will also benefit from a highly competitive marketplace. More than 90% of HealthCare.gov enrollees will be able to choose from three or more plans. Standard plans are available that offer the same deductibles and cost sharing for certain benefits. These plans have the same spending limits as other standardized plans in the same health plan category, making it easier for consumers to compare and choose plans. Most standardized plans offer many services before the deductible, including primary care, generic drugs, preferred brand drugs, urgent care, specialist visits, outpatient mental health and substance abuse visits, and speech, occupational, and physical therapy.

People can enroll or re-enroll for health insurance for 2024 at HealthCare.gov, CuidadoDeSalud.gov or by calling 1-800-318-2596 to complete an application.

Individuals seeking assistance with insurance enrollment can go to the "Find Local Help" section of HealthCare.gov to find a navigator, certified application counselor, agent or broker:

Review of marketplace enrollment:

The previous Marketplace open enrollment period report can be viewed here: Marketplace 2024 Open Enrollment Period Report: National Overview #2 .

Learn more about key highlights and improvements, as well as the infographic - PDF for the 2024 Marketplace open enrollment period. For more information on how to enroll in the Marketplace, visit HealthCare.gov, CuidadoDeSalud.gov, or your state's Marketplace website.

Marketplace 2024 Open Enrollment Period Report: National Overview

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), more than 20 million Americans have signed up for individual health insurance coverage in the 2024 Marketplace through Marketplaces since the start of the open enrollment period (OEP) for the 2024 Marketplace on Nov. 1. This includes 15.5 million enrollees in 32 states using the HealthCare.gov platform for 2024 and 4.8 million enrollees in 18 states and the District of Columbia with state-based Marketplaces (SBMs) that use their own eligibility and enrollment platforms through December 23, 2023 (Week 8). The total number of plans selected nationwide includes 3.7 million consumers (18% of the total) who are enrolling in Marketplaces for the first time for 2024 and 16.6 million consumers (82% of the total) who had active coverage for 2023 and selected a plan for 2024 or were automatically re-enrolled.

Definitions and details about the data are provided in the glossary.

Plan selection during the 2024 market open enrollment period by state (new consumers and actively returning consumers)

Glossary

HealthCare.gov Marketplace: 32 marketplaces using the HealthCare.gov platform for 2024, including federal and state marketplaces using the federal platform (HealthCare.gov). The 32 states that will operate HealthCare.gov marketplaces in 2024 include.gov in 2024 include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

State-Based Marketplaces (SBMs): 18 states and the District of Columbia with marketplaces that operate their own eligibility and enrollment platforms. The 19 SBMs for 2024 include: California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. In general, the data metrics definitions presented here apply to SBM metrics, with some exceptions. For more information on SBM metrics, please contact SBM.

Cumulative Plan Choice: The cumulative figure is the total number of people who applied and chose a plan, minus consumer or insurer denials, that occurred between November 1, 2023, and the end of the reporting period. Consumers generally must pay the first month's premium for the first month of coverage under a health plan in order for coverage to take effect. This release does not report the number of people who have enrolled in coverage.

New Consumers (HealthCare.gov Marketplaces): Consumers are considered new consumers if they did not have coverage in the 2023 marketplace through the federal platform by December 31, 2023, and made a 2024 plan choice through the federal platform.

New Consumers (SBM): Consumers are considered new if they did not have 2023 Marketplace coverage in an SBM that uses its own platform where they made a 2024 plan choice through the SBM.

Returning Consumers (HealthCare.gov Marketplaces): Consumers are considered returning consumers if they had 2023 coverage on the federal Marketplace platform through December 31, 2023, and are either actively choosing the same plan or a new plan for 2024. Returning consumers include consumers who were automatically re-enrolled in their current plan or an alternative proposed plan for 2024.

Returning Consumers (SBM): Consumers are considered returning consumers if they have Marketplace 2023 coverage through December 31, 2023 in the same SBM where they actively elect the same plan or a new plan for 2024. Returning consumers include consumers who have been automatically re-enrolled in their 2023 plan or alternative offered plan for 2024 coverage.

Notes:

Cumulative data for SBM includes plan selection from November 1 through December 23, 2023, with the exception of Idaho, where OEP runs from October 15, 2023 through December 15, 2023.

Most SBMs (Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington) set coverage deadlines for January 1, 2024, which occurred during the SBM reporting period, November 1 through December 23, 2023. The remaining SBMs (California, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Rhode Island) set the January 1, 2023 coverage deadline for December 31, 2023.

In addition to the stated choice of plans, New York and Minnesota have a Basic Health Program (BHP) that provides coverage to consumers with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level who are not eligible for Medicaid or CHIP and are otherwise eligible for a QHP. As of December 23, 2023, there were a total of 1,195,014 individuals enrolled in BHPs in New York. Minnesota BHP data were not available at the time of this report.

Cumulative data for SBM includes plan selection from November 1 through December 23, 2023, with the exception of Idaho, where OEP runs from October 15, 2023 through December 15, 2023.

Most SBMs (Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington) set coverage deadlines for January 1, 2024, which fell during the SBM reporting period, November 1 through December 23, 2023. The remaining SBMs (California, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Rhode Island) set the January 1, 2023 coverage deadline to December 31, 2023.

In addition to the stated choice of plans, New York and Minnesota have a Basic Health Program (BHP), which provides coverage for consumers with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level who are not eligible for Medicaid or CHIP and are otherwise eligible for a QHP. As of December 23, 2023, there were a total of 1,195,014 individuals enrolled in BHPs in New York. Minnesota BHP data were not available at the time of this report.