FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2022
Contact:
CMS Media Relations
(202) 690-6145 | CMS Media Inquiries
Biden-Harris Administration
Announces 14.5 Million Americans Signed Up for Affordable Health Care
During Historic Open Enrollment Period
President Biden’s American
Rescue Plan subsidies lowered costs and increased enrollment to record
levels resulting in 5.8 million people who have newly gained coverage
under the Administration.
Today,
the Biden-Harris Administration announced a record-breaking 14.5
million people have signed up for 2022 health care coverage through the
Marketplaces during the historic Marketplace Open Enrollment Period
(OEP) from November 1, 2021 through January 15, 2022 – including 5.8
million people who have newly gained coverage under the Administration.
The American Rescue Plan lowered health care costs for most Marketplace
consumers and increased enrollment to these records levels:
HealthCare.gov consumers saw their average monthly premium fall by 23%,
compared to the 2021 enrollment period that ended before the American
Rescue Plan passed. The enrollment numbers are a testament to the Biden-Harris
Administration’s commitment to lowering costs for working families and
reaching people where they are through concerted outreach.
“The
numbers say it all: We are delivering on our commitment to make health
care a right for Americans and to ensure it is accessible and
affordable,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
“We are proud to have completed the Biden-Harris Administration’s
inaugural Open Enrollment with a record-breaking 14.5 million Americans
who now have high-quality, low-cost health coverage, thanks to
President Biden’s American Rescue Plan and our unprecedented outreach
efforts. We will continue to deliver for the American people and work
to ensure no one is left behind in getting access to the care they
deserve.”
Secretary
Becerra added, “For people in states and the District of Columbia where
enrollment remains open, there is still time to get covered. Don’t
wait. Sign up today for high-quality, low-cost health coverage.”
January
15, 2022, marked the end of the 2022 OEP for the 33 states using
HealthCare.gov, as well as many of the State-based Marketplaces.
Enrollment remains open in the District of Columbia and five states
(California, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island) through
January 31, 2022. In addition, to date, the District of Columbia,
Colorado, Maryland, and New York have established COVID SEPs that allow
uninsured consumers to sign up for coverage past the initial OEP end
dates.
Of
the 14.5 million people who have enrolled in Marketplace coverage
through January 15, 2022, 10.3 million people live in the 33 states
using HealthCare.gov and 4.2 million people live in the 17 states and
the District of Columbia with State-based Marketplaces using their own
platforms. To date, three million new consumers that were previously
not enrolled in health coverage gained coverage nationwide, a 17%
increase compared to the end of the 2021 OEP. Additionally, 32% of
HealthCare.gov consumers (3.2 million) selected a plan for $10 or less
per month after the additional subsidies provided by the American
Rescue Plan. These numbers are likely to grow as enrollment remains
open in several State-based Marketplaces.
“We
are proud that this Open Enrollment Period and President Biden’s
American Rescue Plan enabled a historic 14.5 million people to sign up
for quality and affordable health care coverage,” said Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita
Brooks-LaSure. “Investing in financial assistance and outreach allows
more people to have access to the care that they need.”
This
week, HHS’s office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and
Evaluation (ASPE) is also releasing a report analyzing new survey data
that showed the uninsured rate fell in 2021 after the American Rescue
Plan and outreach efforts took effect. According to the report, the
uninsured rate for U.S. population was 8.9% for the third quarter of
2021 (July – September 2021), down from 10.3% for the last quarter of
2020 – corresponding to roughly 4.6 million more people with coverage
over that time period. Coverage gains occurred among both children
and working age adults, with the largest coverage gains for those with
incomes under 200% of the poverty level (roughly $27,000 for a single
adult or $56,000 for a family of four).
During
the 2022 OEP, the Biden-Harris Administration worked tirelessly to
ensure health equity by increasing outreach to communities that have
historically been uninsured or underinsured. Through CMS, HHS revamped
the Champions for Coverage program and quadrupled the number of
Navigators to 1,500 certified Navigators ready to help consumers
enroll, and held over 1,800 outreach and education events at accessible
areas—such as local libraries, vaccination clinics, food drives, county
fairs, and job fairs.
The
success of the Biden-Harris Administration’s first OEP affirms the
Administration’s commitment to making health care affordable and
accessible for consumers and builds on the momentum of the 2021 Special
Enrollment Period (SEP). Since the start of the Biden-Harris
Administration, through the 2021 SEP and the 2022 OEP, 5.8 million
people across the country newly gained access to affordable health care
coverage subsidized by the President’s American Rescue Plan. That
includes 2.8 million during the 2021 SEP and 3 million during the 2022
OEP.
While
the OEP has ended in the federal and most State-based Marketplaces,
some State-based Marketplace states have extended enrollment deadlines.
Consumers
who did not select a plan by the deadline may still have an opportunity
to enroll—if they have certain life changes that could qualify them for
a special enrollment period or if they qualify for Medicaid or the
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). It is important for those
who selected a plan during the OEP to make their first monthly payment
in order for coverage to begin. More information can be found at
HealthCare.gov.
To
view the Marketplace 2022 OEP National Snapshot; visit: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/marketplace-2022-open-enrollment-period-report-final-national-snapshot
To
view the ASPE report; visit: https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/health-coverage-changes-2020-2021
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