Nearly 10 million people have bought and paid for Obamacare plans, the Obama administration announced Tuesday.
In the first enrollment update in months, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that 9.9 million consumers had obtained plans through the new insurance marketplaces as of the end of June.
The announcement comes less than two months before the start of the third enrollment season under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. While the first enrollment season was disastrous due to website failures, signups rapidly picked up last year and are expected to grow next year. The marketplaces provide coverage to those without employer-sponsored plans.
A majority of the current enrollees are eligible for federal subsidies to help pay for their plans, officials said. About 84 percent are receiving an advanced premium tax credit because their income is low enough to qualify. The average credit is $270 per month.
Since most states are relying on the federal insurance exchange, healthcare.gov, that’s where most enrollees bought their plans. More than 7 million consumers used healthcare.gov, while 2.7 million purchased through state-run marketplaces.
“Consumers from coast to coast are continuing to show how important health coverage is to their families,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell. “Millions of Americans are benefiting from the peace of mind that comes with having quality coverage at a price they can afford as they access coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace.”
Consumers may enroll only during the official sign-up period unless they experience a “qualifying event,” such as a divorce or birth of a child.
