At the halfway point in the six-week enrollment period, 2.4 million people chose a plan for the 2019 coverage year on healthcare.gov, the federal health insurance exchange, according to data released last week. (Photo: Getty)

Enrollment is down sharply on the federal health insurance marketplace this fall, and the consumer assistance groups that help with sign-ups think they know why.

They don't have the staff to help as many customers as before because the Trump administration slashed funding. The federal government is spending $10 million this year on navigators who help individuals enroll in coverage. The government spent $36 million in 2017 and $63 million in 2016.

The dismantling of the ACA: A timeline

“We don't have the people to provide the enrollment assistance nor to do the outreach and marketing to let people know what's happening,” said Jodi Ray at the University of South Florida, who has overseen Florida's largest navigator program since 2014.