A week or so ago I expressed surprise and disappointment over an incredibly misleading headline from KFF, declaring "Obamacare sign-ups lag after Trump election and legal challenges." In fact, as I noted on December 23rd, I noted, 2025 ACA Open Enrollment was actually running over 16% ahead of roughly the same point a year earlier:

Across 38 states, a total of around 19.5 million people have selected Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) via either the federal or state-based exchanges as of anywhere from 12/05 - 12/18. Collectively, this is roughly 16.6% higher than the same/nearly the same dates a year ago.

It's important to remember that Georgia moved from the federal exchange to its own state-based marketplace this year, which is why ~1.2 million enrollees have been subtracted from the 2024 HC.gov total. Note that the HC.gov numbers are rounded off to the nearest 100K, per CMS's press releases both years.

 The 2025 ACA Open Enrollment Period (OEP) officially begins on November 1st.

This is the best OEP ever for the ACA for several reasons:

  • A dozen states are either launching, continuing or expanding their own state-based subsidy programs to make ACA plans even more affordable for their enrollees;

*Note: There's still some uncertainty about this, as 19 Republican Attorneys General have filed a lawsuit to block this, and oral arguments were heard just a week or so ago, so it's conceivable that an injunction will be placed before November 1st.

Update 12/09/24: As expected, a federal court has shot down the eligibility of DACA recipients to enroll in ACA exchange coverage in the 19 states involved in the lawsuit. In theory the roughly 2/3 of DACA recipients living in the other 31 states +DC should still be eligible.

Update 12/19/24: OK, never mind: Another federal court has put a stay on the DACA enrollment injunction, so for the moment DACA recipients can enroll in every state.

Update 12/23/24: Rhode Island has extended their 2025 Open Enrollment period all the way out through the end of February due to the nasty security breach of RIBridges, their social services IT system. Anyone who enrolls thru 2/28/25 will have their coverage made retroactive to January 1st.

And remember, millions of people will be eligible for zero premium comprehensive major medical policies.

If you've never enrolled in an ACA healthcare policy before, or if you looked into it a few years back but weren't impressed, please give it another shot now. Thanks to these major improvements it's a whole different ballgame.

Here's some important things to know when you #GetCovered for 2025:

It was in early 2021 that Congressional Democrats passed & President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which among other things dramatically expanded & enhanced the original premium subsidy formula of the Affordable Care Act, finally bringing the financial aid sliding income scale up to the level it should have been in the first place over a decade earlier.

In addition to beefing up the subsidies along the entire 100 - 400% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) income scale, the ARPA also eliminated the much-maligned "Subsidy Cliff" at 400% FPL, wherein a household earning even $1 more than that had all premium subsidies cut off immediately, requiring middle-class families to pay full price for individual market health insurance policies.

Here's what the original ACA premium subsidy formula looked like compared to the current, enhanced subsidy formula:

via Pennie:

A record 450,000+ Pennsylvanians have signed up for affordable, high-quality healthcare coverage through Pennie, the Commonwealth’s low-cost health insurance marketplace.

Philadelphia, PA – The Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) and Pennie, Pennsylvania’s official health insurance marketplace, today jointly remind Pennsylvanians – especially those who do not have health coverage – to explore their options and enroll through Pennie before the January 15 Open Enrollment deadline. The Open Enrollment Period is the only time of year when Pennsylvanians can enroll in affordable, high-quality health plans for coverage in 2025.

Washington HealthPlan Finder

via the Washington Health Benefit Exchange:

Apply and select a health and/or dental plan by Jan. 15 for coverage beginning Feb. 1

Just one week left to secure individual health and dental insurance beginning Feb. 1. Customers who visit Washington Healthplanfinder by Jan. 15 can shop, compare and find more affordable coverage for 2025.

“Federal enhanced premium tax credits are still available to help reduce monthly costs through 2025 for many Washingtonians,” Washington Health Benefit Exchange CEO Ingrid Ulrey said. The Exchange runs Washington Healthplanfinder, the state’s online marketplace for Affordable Care Act coverage.

“Premium tax credits have been instrumental in helping a record number of Washingtonians sign up for insurance through Washington Healthplanfinder. Your health is our priority, and we don’t want you to miss out on the opportunity to access tax credits that help you save on your monthly premiums”

It was in early 2021 that Congressional Democrats passed & President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which among other things dramatically expanded & enhanced the original premium subsidy formula of the Affordable Care Act, finally bringing the financial aid sliding income scale up to the level it should have been in the first place over a decade earlier.

In addition to beefing up the subsidies along the entire 100 - 400% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) income scale, the ARPA also eliminated the much-maligned "Subsidy Cliff" at 400% FPL, wherein a household earning even $1 more than that had all premium subsidies cut off immediately, requiring middle-class families to pay full price for individual market health insurance policies.

Here's what the original ACA premium subsidy formula looked like compared to the current, enhanced subsidy formula:

It was in early 2021 that Congressional Democrats passed & President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which among other things dramatically expanded & enhanced the original premium subsidy formula of the Affordable Care Act, finally bringing the financial aid sliding income scale up to the level it should have been in the first place over a decade earlier.

In addition to beefing up the subsidies along the entire 100 - 400% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) income scale, the ARPA also eliminated the much-maligned "Subsidy Cliff" at 400% FPL, wherein a household earning even $1 more than that had all premium subsidies cut off immediately, requiring middle-class families to pay full price for individual market health insurance policies.

Here's what the original ACA premium subsidy formula looked like compared to the current, enhanced subsidy formula:

On Christmas Day, as you may recall, a "Treemap" graph which had originally been published 2 weeks earlier in a Reuters article went viral on social media. It was then republished by Newsweek, again without any context provided.

The graph purported to break out "Obamacare applications by state for 2025" by states which voted for Donald Trump vs. those which voted for Kamala Harris in November 2024. Here's what it looked like:

As I noted at the time, this graph was technically accurate...while simultaneously being jaw-droppingly misleading, for several reasons, including:

It was in early 2021 that Congressional Democrats passed & President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which among other things dramatically expanded & enhanced the original premium subsidy formula of the Affordable Care Act, finally bringing the financial aid sliding income scale up to the level it should have been in the first place over a decade earlier.

In addition to beefing up the subsidies along the entire 100 - 400% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) income scale, the ARPA also eliminated the much-maligned "Subsidy Cliff" at 400% FPL, wherein a household earning even $1 more than that had all premium subsidies cut off immediately, requiring middle-class families to pay full price for individual market health insurance policies.

Here's what the original ACA premium subsidy formula looked like compared to the current, enhanced subsidy formula:

via Access Health CT:

Customers who enroll on or before Jan. 15, 2025 will have coverage beginning Feb. 1, 2025

HARTFORD, Conn. (Jan. 6, 2025) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced the deadline to enroll in health and dental coverage starting Feb. 1, 2025 is Jan. 15, 2025. This is the final deadline for the 2025 Open Enrollment Period. 

The Open Enrollment Period for Connecticut residents to shop, compare and enroll in health insurance or renew their coverage began Nov. 1, 2024. Customers may enroll in either health or dental coverage, or both.

AHCT is the only place state residents can get financial help to pay for their health insurance. Nearly 90% of customers received financial assistance last year. Some customers might qualify for the Covered CT Program. This program provides no-cost coverage for eligible residents.

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