Photo: HealthCare.gov
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released enrollment numbers in the Affordable Care Act marketplace that show 1.4 million fewer members this year over last year.
As of Monday, total enrollment is 22.8 million consumers, compared with 24.2 million members last year at this time. That's a 5.8% decrease as the enrollment deadline ended Jan. 15.
The number of new consumers buying plans this year is 2.8 million, compared with 3.9 million last year.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The drop in ACA enrollment is no surprise due to the end of the enhanced tax subsidies as of Dec. 31.
The subsidies allowed more people with higher incomes to enroll in Obamacare. Without the subsidies, premiums for many would more than double, according to a KFF report.
An estimated one in four former ACA beneficiaries would likely go without healthcare coverage, KFF said.
Having fewer people enrolled in the ACA and more patients coming to the hospital without coverage has a big impact on payers and providers.
Health plans facing membership contraction could see margin pressures.
THE LARGER TREND
Before leaving for their December recess, House members voted to extend the tax credits for three years, with the Senate delaying a vote on a healthcare plan until January. The consensus was the ACA extension would have little chance of passing in the Senate. Now the holdup is bipartisan wrangling over public funding for abortion, according to The Hill.
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org