Jan 28, 2021 - Health

Who benefits from Biden's move to reopen ACA enrollment

Joe Biden.

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Nearly 15 million Americans who are currently uninsured are eligible for coverage on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, and more than half of them would qualify for subsidies, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation brief.

Why it matters: President Biden is expected to announce today that he'll be reopening the marketplaces for a special enrollment period from Feb. 15 to May 15, but getting a significant number of people to sign up for coverage will likely require targeted outreach.

Details: Of the 15 million people eligible for ACA coverage, 4 million are eligible for a free high-deductible plan, 4.9 million would qualify for a subsidized plan and 6 million wouldn't qualify for any subsidy.

Between the lines: The uninsured who are eligible for ACA coverage with subsidies are disproportionately young adults, Hispanic, and working in the arts, entertainment, recreation, or construction industries.

  • They're also more likely to have a high school diploma or less.
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