ACA enrollment for Black and Latino Americans increases sharply

Enrollment in ACA health care marketplace plans increased around 50% for Black and Latino Americans between 2020 and 2022, according to a new analysis from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The report finds that targeted outreach efforts and increased affordability helped ACA enrollment across the board. The affordability of ACA plans was increased by the American Rescue Plan, a COVID-related relief law that was passed in 2021. That law provided funding in numerous areas and expanded ACA subsidies to cover more Americans. At the time of passage, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the rescue plan’s health care provisions would bring health insurance coverage to 1.3 million previously uninsured Americans.

“Access to high-quality, affordable health care is top priority of the Biden-Harris Administration, and the Affordable Care Act is central in our efforts to increase access for America’s families,” says HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in a statement on Oct. 25. “This report shows that our efforts are working, including among Black, Latino, and American Indian and Alaska Native consumers. The uninsured rate is at a record low in the country, but we know we have more to do to close gaps in coverage and increase equity.”