More than 15.6 million people have enrolled in plans on federally run ACA exchanges so far, down from about 16 million at the same point last year, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, said Dec. 23.
Dr. Oz attributed the decline to efforts to address fraudulent enrollments, writing on X: “Notably, this small drop follows several important CMS actions over the past year to combat fraudulent and improper enrollments, which have already removed more than enough people from premium subsidies who are covered elsewhere to account for the modest enrollment change. That said, there is a politically motivated lawsuit that has paused critical actions to make sure Biden-era improper enrollments are fully knocked out.”
Earlier in the open enrollment period, ACA enrollment was outpacing last year. CMS data published Dec. 5 showed nearly 5.8 million plan selections through late November, up about 7% year over year, though new consumer enrollment was down 4% as returning consumers drove the gains.
Enhanced ACA premium tax credits are set to expire Dec. 31. Neither a Democratic proposal to extend the subsidies for three years nor a Republican alternative focusing on health savings accounts survived Senate votes earlier this month.
Four House Republicans joined Democrats in signing a discharge petition to force a vote on extending the subsidies, but House rules mean the vote likely won’t occur until lawmakers return to D.C. in January.
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