In October 2024, 79.3 million individuals were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.
72.1 million individuals were enrolled in Medicaid, and 7.2 million individuals were enrolled in CHIP.
41.7 million adults were enrolled in Medicaid, and there were 37.6 million Medicaid child and CHIP enrollees.
Medicaid and CHIP Applications Received
In October 2024, Medicaid, CHIP, Human Services agencies, and State-based Marketplaces received 2.6 million applications, or 2 percent more applications, as compared to September 2024.
The number of applications received has increased by 20 percent since October 2023 and increased by 66 percent since October 2022.
Total Medicaid/CHIP enrollment in October 2024 still dropped very slightly from September...by just 55,000 people.
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:
Number of People Who Have Ever Enrolled in ACA Marketplace Coverage, 2014-2024
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created Health Insurance Marketplaces in all states starting in 2014. Eligible partcipants can purchase individual health insurance plans in the ACA Marketplaces, and qualifying individuals can receive Premium Tax Credits (PTC) to help offset the cost of coverage. The PTC was expanded in both generosity and eligibility startng with the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, with these enhancements extended in the Inflaton Reducton Act in 2022. The ACA Marketplaces enable Americans to purchase comprehensive, affordable health insurance that they may not have access to through their employers or through programs such as Medicare or Medicaid, including when they experience brief or longer-term gaps in the availability of other coverage.
The Affordable Care Act includes a long list of codified instructions about what's required under the law. However, like any major piece of legislation, many of the specific details are left up to the agency responsible for implementing the law.
While the PPACA is itself a lengthy document, it would have to be several times longer yet in order to cover every conceivable detail involved in operating the ACA exchanges, Medicaid expansion and so forth. The major provisions of the ACA fall under the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), and within that, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS)
Every year, CMS issues a long, wonky document called the Notice of Benefit & Payment Parameters (NBPP) for the Affordable Care Act. This is basically a list of proposed tweaks to some of the specifics of how the ACA is actually implemented for the following year.
Massachusetts residents have [9] days of Open Enrollment remaining, with the window for enrolling in health insurance through the Health Connector closing on Jan. 23.
Open Enrollment started Nov. 1 and is when anyone who needs health insurance can get covered through the Health Connector. The Jan. 23 state deadline is later than the federal government’s Jan. 15 deadline.
“Massachusetts requires everyone to have health insurance, so if you don’t have coverage, now is the time to enroll,” said Audrey Morse Gasteier, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Connector. “The Health Connector provides help paying for coverage for many people, which means residents can get a plan that gives them access to the care and services they need. We are here to help enroll anyone without health insurance so they can kick off the new year with the peace of mind that comes with affordable, high-quality health coverage.”
Not only is New Mexico's exchange enrollment up a whopping 28% vs. the same point last year, it's 20% higher than the 2024 OEP's final total of 56,472.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today [January 10th] that additional resources and flexibilities are available in response to the 2025 Southern California Wildfires. CMS is working closely with the State of California and federal partners to put these flexibilities in place to ensure those affected by this natural disaster have access to the care they need – when they need it most.
On Jan. 8, 2025, President Biden determined that an emergency exists in California due to the emergency conditions resulting from the 2025 Southern California Wildfires beginning Jan. 7, 2025, and continuing. Additionally, on Jan. 10, 2025, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra determined that a Public Health Emergency (PHE) exists in California and has existed since Jan. 7, 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 the NJ Dept. of Banking & Insurance (via email; no link yet):
Residents Urged to Sign up for Health Coverage before Open Enrollment Deadline on January 31
TRENTON — Get Covered New Jersey, the state’s Official Health Insurance Marketplace, continues to draw record sign ups for 2025 coverage, topping 481,000 in the first nine weeks of the Open Enrollment Period that started on November 1, 2024, New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance Commissioner Justin Zimmerman announced today.
The Department also continues to hold pop-up enrollment and assistance events at several New Jersey shopping malls throughout the state in January to boost awareness, provide resources and encourage residents to enroll in 2025 health coverage before the end of Open Enrollment on January 31.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace (OHIM) will release biweekly updates on plan selections through CoverME.gov, Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
Plan selections provide a snapshot of activity by new and returning consumers who have selected a plan for 2025. “Plan selections” become “enrollments” once consumers have paid their first monthly premium to begin insurance. These numbers are subject to change as consumers may modify or cancel plans after their initial selection.
The deadline to select a plan for coverage beginning January 1, 2025 is December 15, 2024. Consumers who select a plan between December 16, 2024 and January 15, 2025 will have coverage beginning February 1, 2025.
