Oct. 26, 2022 – This past year, enrollment in Marketplace insurance soared to record levels on HealthCare.gov. New government data now shows the boost was largely driven by sign-ups among Black and Latino enrollees.
Latino enrollees increased by 53%, compared to 2020, Black enrollees increased by 49% for the same period, and American Indian and Alaska Native enrollees increased by 32%, according to the new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report.
These groups are historically uninsured and were targeted with tax credits and outreach efforts, the report said.
“In 2021 and 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) substantially increased funding for Marketplace outreach and education, and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) offered enhanced and expanded premium tax credits. These policies were designed to expand coverage, including among populations with historically higher uninsured rates such as Black and Latino consumers,” according to the report. “These results suggest that outreach efforts and increased affordability of coverage under the ARP substantially increased Marketplace enrollment among Black, Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native beneficiaries from 2020 [to] 2022.”
Funding for Affordable Care Act Marketplace outreach has been a point of political discourse. The report says that one of the objectives was to assess the “potential effects of the Biden-Harris Administration’s policies designed to improve equitable coverage rates.”
The open enrollment period for Marketplace coverage begins. Nov. 1.
According to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation, there were 12.5 million people enrolled in subsidized Marketplace coverage in 2022, and another 1.3 million in unsubsidized Marketplace coverage.