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 enroa llment 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