News Briefs: 16.4 Million People Joined, Retained Marketplace Coverage in Open Enrollment

March 24

Nearly 16.4 million people selected or were automatically reenrolled in coverage during the 2023 open enrollment period for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans, the Biden administration said on March 23. That represents a 13% increase compared to the 2022 open enrollment period and a 36% increase over enrollments during the signup window for 2021 coverage. Enrollment has also doubled compared to when the exchanges debuted in 2014, when there were about 8 million signups, CMS said. The administration revealed the final signup numbers on the 13th anniversary of the ACA, using the opportunity to tout the law’s positive effect on insurance coverage through both the exchanges and Medicaid expansion.