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March 28, 2024

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10.2 million bought insurance in a year under ACA

Nearly nine out of 10 American adults now have health coverage

The Columbian
Published: June 3, 2015, 12:00am

WASHINGTON — More than 10 million people signed up for private health insurance during the year that ended March 31 under President Barack Obama’s Affordable Coverage Act, the administration said Tuesday. That puts the nation finally within reach of coverage for all.

The report from the Department of Health and Human Services comes as dozens of insurers are proposing double-digit premium hikes for next year. And the Supreme Court is weighing the legality of subsidized premiums for millions of consumers in more than 30 states. A decision is due around the end of the month.

The 10.2 million sign-ups represent consumers who enrolled in a plan and followed through by paying their first month’s premiums. That number will fluctuate during the year as some people get jobs that offer coverage, and others decide to drop their insurance.

Although it exceeds a target of 9.1 million set last year by HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell, “Enrollment has been lower and slower than what most people projected,” said Caroline Pearson of the data analysis firm Avalere Health.

Still, the combination of subsidized private coverage sold through online exchanges in every state, along with Medicaid expansion in most states, has resulted in historic coverage gains.

A major private survey, the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, found 88 percent of U.S. adults have coverage — about the same proportion of Americans who buckle their seatbelts.

If the Supreme Court invalidates subsidies for people in states using HealthCare.gov, the federal government’s online exchange, nearly 6.4 million people could lose subsidies worth more than $1.7 billion a month in the 34 states most directly affected. It’s expected that most of those consumers would drop coverage. As healthy people exit the market, premiums would spike for the remaining individual customers.

“After a rocky start, the marketplaces are now generally stable, with steady growth in enrollment,” said Larry Levitt of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. “A court decision for the challengers would roil the relatively calm waters.”

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