Georgia, U.S. See Spike In Obamacare Signups During Special Enrollment Period

Georgia and the U.S. in general has experienced a huge spike in the number of enrollments of Obamacare coverage during a special enrollment period this year.

The Biden Administration opened a special signup period for the Affordable Care Act when he took office arguing the COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary. During the period, which ran from February 15 through August 15, more than 147,000 Georgia residents signed up for an Obamacare health plan. During the same period last year, just 41,000 residents and the year before that just 25,000 residents signed up.

Nationally 2.8 million Americans signed up for Obamacare during the enrollment period. One of the reasons for the spike is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 700,000 Americans since last winter. Many Americans who did not have a health insurance plan because they are unemployed and can’t get private coverage, have signed up for Obamacare.

“It’s clear that when health coverage is accessible and affordable, people sign up,” Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said in a statement.

The news may come as a shock for Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who argued that low enrollment during the Trump Administration was a sign that the state needed to revamp its marketplace for Obamacare. Something Trump agreed with, but Biden is reconsidering.

According to the Biden Administration, enrollments for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program have also hit record highs of 82.3 million people in April. Biden acknowledged the record signups in a statement.

“I am pleased to report that 2.8 million more Americans have gained access to reliable health coverage through HealthCare.gov and state-based marketplaces,” President Biden said.

“That’s 2.8 million families who will have more security, more breathing room, and more money in their pocket if an illness or accident hits home. Altogether, 12.2 million Americans are actively enrolled in coverage under the Affordable Care Act — an all-time high.”

Financial assistance for Obamacare, which Biden expanded under the American Rescue Plan, has saved Americans an average of $67 a month in healthcare costs. Something Democrats are trying to make permanent.