WASHINGTON (AP) – More than 10 million people have signed up for subsidized private health insurance this year under President Barack Obama’s law, the administration reported Tuesday. The positive numbers are finally putting the nation within reach of coverage for all, but the gains may not last.
The report from the Department of Health and Human Services comes as dozens of insurers are proposing double-digit premium hikes for next year, raising concerns about the future affordability of coverage under the program. And the Supreme Court is weighing the legality of subsidies for consumers in more than 30 states, with a decision expected around the end of the month.
The 10.2 million sign-ups represent consumers who enrolled in a plan and followed through by paying their first month’s premiums. That number will fluctuate during the year as some people get jobs that offer coverage, and others decide to drop their insurance. For now, it exceeds a target of 9.1 million set last year by HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell.
The combination of subsidized private coverage sold through online insurance exchanges in every state, along with Medicaid expansion in most states, has resulted in historic coverage gains.
Nearly 9 out of 10 adults now have health insurance – about the same proportion of Americans who buckle their seatbelts.