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About 2.8 million people signed up for Affordable Care Act health plans during an unprecedented, six-month special enrollment period that President Biden ordered to help Americans find insurance coverage during the coronavirus pandemic, according to figures his administration released Wednesday. The additional enrollees push the reliance on ACA health plans to 12.2 million, the highest level since the insurance marketplaces created under the law first offered health plans in 2014. (Goldstein, 9/15)

Nearly 3 million consumers took advantage of a special six-month period to sign up for subsidized health insurance coverage made more affordable by the COVID-19 relief law, President Joe Biden said Wednesday. He called that number encouraging and urged Congress to keep the trend going by extending the more generous financial assistance, currently available only through the end of next year. “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,” Biden said in a statement. “Altogether, 12.2 million Americans are actively enrolled in coverage under the Affordable Care Act — an all-time high.” That’s an increase of about 20% since the end of last year. (Superville, 9/15)

Nearly half of the customers on HealthCare.gov that selected a new plan had a monthly premium of $10 or less, a sharp drop compared to the 25% during the same period in 2020, HHS’ report said. The American Rescue Plan Act boosted income-based subsidies sold on the exchanges but only through the 2022 coverage year. Democrats are hoping to extend the subsidies as part of a $3.5 trillion infrastructure package being considered this month. (King, 9/15)