By how many more people did ACA marketplace enrollment increase by January 2022 compared to the previous year?

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The American Rescue Plan's expanded subsidies led to a significant increase in ACA marketplace enrollment. By the end of open enrollment in January 2022, 14.5 million people had selected a plan on the ACA marketplace. This was 2.5 million more than the 12.0 million who had selected plans by the end of the 2021 open enrollment period. This 2.5 million person increase represented a 21% growth in marketplace enrollment in just one year. This surge in enrollment demonstrates that when healthcare becomes more affordable (through lower premiums due to enhanced subsidies), more people choose to buy insurance. The impact is straightforward: the policy worked. Before the ARP, many uninsured Americans were unable to afford marketplace coverage. With subsidies capping premiums at 8.5% of income and eliminating the 400% FPL cap, millions of additional people could now afford insurance. This enrollment growth mattered not just for the individuals gaining coverage, but also for the insurance market itself: more people enrolling means the risk pool is larger and healthier, which can help stabilize premiums.

By how many more people did ACA marketplace enrollment increase by January 2022 compared to the previous year?

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