Harkin Applauds Enrollment Numbers Showing 3.3 Million Americans Have Signed Up For Affordable, Comprehensive Health Insurance Through State and Federal Marketplaces

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released new enrollment figures for the federal marketplaces showing that nearly 3.3 million people enrolled in the federal marketplaces by February 1^st, with January alone accounting for nearly 1.1 million plan selections in state and federal marketplaces. According to HHS, 27 percent of those who selected plans in the marketplaces in January are between the ages of 18 and 34, and young adult enrollment grew by 65 percent in January. The total number of enrollees in Iowa’s private health insurance exchange is now 11,788, up from approximately 7,500 at the end of December.

“More and more Americans are learning about the affordable, comprehensive health insurance available to them through the Affordable Care Act’s state and federal marketplaces. Today’s enrollment figures reveal that nearly 3.3 million Americans, including nearly 12,000 Iowans, have signed up for private coverage since the open enrollment period began October 1.  

“As many of us who support health reform have said, the promise of the Affordable Care Act has always been protections and benefits for Americans. It’s 105 million Americans who have been protected against lifetime limits since 2010; the more than three million young people that can stay on their parents’ policies; the seven million seniors who have saved $8 billion in discounts on prescription drugs; the 71 million people on private insurance that have used free preventive services, and the 129 million non-elderly Americans with preexisting conditions who can no longer be denied or discriminated against by health insurance companies.

“Americans who have waited years for access to affordable health coverage are finally able to enroll in coverage for the first time, and that’s something we can all applaud. In the coming months, we will hear from even more Americans—like the stories I am hearing from Iowans—who are taking advantage of this coverage.” 

As Chairman of the HELP Committee, Harkin played a pivotal role in the passage of the Affordable Care Act.  He also serves as Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

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