(Washington, DC) – Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released final enrollment data from the new Special Enrollment Period (SEP) created by President Biden that began on February 15 and ended on August 15. The new data shows nearly 3 million consumers enrolled in health coverage during the SEP, bringing total ACA enrollment to a historic high of 12.2 million enrollees. Young adult enrollment remained steady, making up 30 percent of all enrollees in 2021 ACA coverage in HealthCare.Gov states.

In response, Erin Hemlin, Health Policy and Advocacy Director for Young Invincibles issued the following statement.

“Today’s data release proves that the Special Enrollment Period was a huge success – nearly 3 million enrolled, with over 90 percent of enrollees seeing lower premiums thanks to the enhanced subsidies in the American Rescue Plan. Every young person deserves access to high-quality, affordable health coverage, and we are thrilled to see young adult enrollment stay strong throughout 2021. There hasn’t been a time in recent history when it’s been easier, more affordable, or more accessible for young people to enroll in affordable health coverage than it is today.

The success of the SEP and the ARP only further drives home how important it is that Congress continue to build on this progress in the Build Back Better Act. Congress should make it a top priority to make the ARP subsidies permanent and provide a permanent fix to the Medicaid coverage gap to ensure that every young American can get covered and stay covered.

We applaud the work of the Biden-Harris administration in achieving historic coverage numbers today, and continue to urge Congress to finish the mission.”