ICYMI: Building on What’s Working Leads to Record-Low Premiums and Stable Coverage Rates  

WASHINGTON – The latest figures reported by the federal government show that building on what’s working is the most effective way to ensure Americans have access to affordable, high-quality health care.  

• Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows that Americans can now sign up for health care coverage plans at record-low prices this year.  
  • “Four out of five people can find a plan for $10 or less per month with this newly expanded financial assistance. Additionally, there are more coverage options this season than last, with the average consumer being able to choose between six and seven insurance companies with plan options.” (Department of Health and Human Services, 11/1/21) 

• Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau also shows that the number of uninsured Americans stayed consistent through the pandemic due to our current system’s safety net. 
  • “Roughly 8.6% of Americans didn’t have health insurance in 2020, a figure that has stayed consistent since 2018.” Additionally, “Government assistance, in the form of beefed-up Medicaid eligibility and heavily subsidized plans through the Affordable Care Act, kept people insured despite the pandemic-fueled recession.” (Axios, 11/1/21) 

• A recent analysis from Kaiser Family Foundation also found that more Americans can now take advantage of richer subsidies when signing up for health care coverage through our current system. 
  • “The new ARPA subsidies on average will cover just over a third of the cost of a benchmark plan for someone earning between 400% and 600% of the Federal Poverty Level – a group that was previously ineligible for subsidies. Lower-income marketplace shoppers in a household earning under 150% of FPL will now pay $0 per month for a benchmark plan, with reduced out-of-pocket costs.” (Kaiser Family Foundation, 10/28/21) 

• Recent polling shows more Americans than ever favor our current system as we’ve kept building on what’s working in health care. And most voters want to keep building on what’s working so more Americans can gain access to affordable, high-quality health care coverage. 
  • Recent polling from Kaiser Family Foundation shows that favorability for our current system is currently at a record-high 58 percent. (Kaiser Family Foundation, 10/15/21) 
  • The August 2021 edition of Voter Vitals – a nationwide tracking poll conducted by Locust Street Group for the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future – shows that 64 percent of voters prefer building on our current system rather than creating the public option and 67 percent prefer building on our current system instead of opening up Medicare to younger Americans. (Voter Vitals, 8/21) 

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