The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Wednesday that nearly 5.5 million Americans so far have signed up for Obamacare for next year, an 18% increase over the same period last year.
Around 1.2 million of the people who have signed up for 2023 plans through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace, also known as Obamacare, are new consumers, HHS said.
Anyone who wants to enroll in Obamacare for 2023 can do so now through January 15. However, if they want to be covered by January 1 they generally need to choose a plan by December 15.
Thirty-three states make Obamacare available using the HealthCare.gov website for their enrollment. Other states and the District of Columbia have state-based marketplaces.
Last year, a total of around 14.5 million people signed up for insurance during the open enrollment period, the highest-ever number since the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010.
