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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2022
Contact:
CMS Media Relations
CMS Media Inquiries
On 12-Year Anniversary of
the Affordable Care Act, New HHS Report Shows Ways the Biden-Harris
Administration’s American Rescue Plan Investments Are Lowering Health
Care Costs and Expanding Coverage
Report shows that for
millions of people coverage is up and prices are down, as a result of
President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, with 2.8 million more consumers
receiving tax credits to help with health coverage premium costs.
Today,
on the 12th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA),
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a new
report highlighting data on the record-setting 2022 Open Enrollment
Period and key health care coverage gains made under the Biden-Harris
Administration. The “State of the ACA” report, published by the Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), shows that the Affordable
Care Act is at the strongest it has ever been thanks to President
Biden’s robust investments through the American Rescue Plan (ARP).
Nationwide, 2.8 million more consumers are receiving tax credits in
2022 compared to 2021. These tax credits are helping families keep more
money in their pockets for essentials as we recover from the COVID-19
pandemic.
“President
Biden promised to build on the success of the Affordable Care Act, and
just one year into his Administration, we have already broken records
with all-time high enrollment numbers and all-time low prices,” said
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “We will continue working to deliver on
that promise until we make health care a right for all.”
During
the first full year of the Biden-Harris Administration, nearly 6
million new consumers signed up for coverage through the Marketplaces
nationwide during the 2021 Special Enrollment Period (SEP) and this
year's Open Enrollment Period (OEP). This includes 2.8 million people
who newly enrolled during the SEP and more than 3 million who newly
enrolled during the OEP. Thanks to the ARP, Marketplace plans were more
affordable than ever, contributing to a record-breaking 14.5 million
consumers nationwide signing up for health care coverage – a 21 percent
increase from last year.
“On
the 12th Anniversary of the ACA, it is clear that the
Affordable Care Act and the American Rescue Plan are working to expand
access to health care coverage and have been critical to advancing
health equity,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “The
Biden-Harris Administration’s ARP subsidies were successful and ensured
that more Marketplace consumers than ever had access to quality,
affordable health care and the peace of mind that comes with having
health care coverage that best fits their needs.”
A
report released by the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) showed that more Americans have gained
coverage during 2021, as the ARP and other Administration policies took
effect. In addition, without the ARP, the average monthly premium after
Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC) for HealthCare.gov enrollees would
have been $59 per month higher, or 53 percent higher. According to a
new ASPE report released today, an estimated 3.4 million Americans
currently insured in the individual market would lose coverage and
become uninsured if the ARP’s premium tax credit provisions are not extended
beyond 2022.
Finally,
the uninsured rate fell after implementation of the ARP, the 2021 SEP,
and expanded outreach efforts. The uninsured rate for the U.S. was 8.9%
for the third quarter of 2021 (July – September 2021), down from 10.3%
for the last quarter of 2020.
The
Biden-Harris Administration has made it a priority to continue to
strengthen the ACA. President Biden is committed to building on the
progress made by the ACA by reducing premiums for the millions of
Americans enrolled in Marketplace coverage and closing the Medicaid
coverage gap, which would lead to four million uninsured people gaining
coverage. Over 18.7 million adults are now covered across 39 states
(including the District of Columbia) due to Medicaid expansion, though
12 states have not expanded.
The
Biden-Harris Administration also recently announced a new SEP
opportunity for low-income consumers with household incomes under 150%
of the Federal Poverty Level who are eligible for premium tax credits
under the ACA and ARP, which is approximately $19,000 for an individual
and $40,000 for a family of four in 2022. In states that use the
HealthCare.gov platform, 45% of consumers who signed up for health
coverage during the 2021 SEP had household incomes under 150% of the
Federal Poverty Level. This new SEP will make it easier for low-income
people to enroll in Marketplace coverage throughout the year and
benefit from the ARP savings.
HHS
is hosting a week-long celebration of the 12-year anniversary of the
ACA, from March 21 through March 25, highlighting the impact of the law
and the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to building on its
success. The theme of this week-long celebration is: “ACA: 12 Years of Advancing Health Equity for All
Americans.” During the week, each day, HHS will spotlight
ways in which the ACA has made gains in addressing health disparities
of women and families, kids, older adults, people with disabilities,
LGBTQI+ and communities of color.
Please
view the State of the ACA Report here.
To
view the 2022 Open Enrollment Report, visit: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/health-insurance-exchanges-2022-open-enrollment-report-final.pdf
To
view a comprehensive Briefing Book on the ACA, highlighting HHS reports
from the past year, visit: https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/aca-accomplishments.
High
resolution photographs are available from the recent commemoration of
the 12th Anniversary of the ACA and may be accessed here: https://cmsbox.app.box.com/s/t83tnhtwk9ahg6pprgcfxow4bkl6f04m/file/934549102386.
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