Enrollment in ‘Obamacare’ Health Insurance Plans Sets Records in California, U.S.

A record number of people in California and across the country have signed up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, local and state officials report.

As of Jan. 31, there were 1,784,653 Californians who had chosen an ACA health plan through Covered California for 2024, with 306,382​ new enrollees and 1,478,271 renewing their coverage.

Officials credited increased federal subsidies through the Inflation Reduction Act along with a new California cost-sharing program for the higher enrollment.

“The high demand for Covered California shows that the increased financial help for 2024 is making health care coverage more attainable and affordable for more Californians,” said Executive Director Jessica Altman.

The new California enrollees are part of a record 21.3 million Americans who have enrolled in coverage for 2024, a 31% jump over the year earlier, and the highest since the ACA’s inception, the federal government said.

The ACA, also known as “Obamacare,” was signed in 2010 and was former U.S. President Barack Obama’s signature piece of domestic legislation. It helps low and middle-income Americans who do not have access to affordable health insurance coverage through an employer.

“For decades, when it came to federal programs we could depend on to keep Americans covered, three were always top of mind — Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, but now it’s crystal clear that we need to add a fourth — the Affordable Care Act,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.

Despite the ACA’s growing popularity, however, former President Trump has vowed to end the health insurance program if he is elected in November.

Open enrollment for Covered California ends at midnight Feb. 9.