Underwood Celebrates Record-Breaking Enrollment in Health Care Coverage Made Possible by Her Legislation to Lower Health Care Costs

WASHINGTON – Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) celebrated the release of new data showing that 21.3 million people signed up for Marketplace health care coverage during the 2023-2024 Open Enrollment season, a record-breaking number made possible by Underwood’s Health Care Affordability Act. The legislation has made it possible for four out of five Americans to find a plan for less than $10 a month.

“Year-over-year we are breaking records for enrollment because the Affordable Care Act works,” said Underwood. “Access to quality, affordable health care is essential to keeping our communities healthy, and I am so pleased that families continue to sign up in record numbers. My legislation, the Health Care Affordability Act, has made it more affordable than ever to get covered, and Congress must build on this progress and make these savings permanent.”

A short-term version of Underwood’s Health Care Affordability Act was included in the Inflation Reduction Act, and it’s currently saving families of four an average of $2,400 on their annual premiums for Marketplace plans. But this provision is set to expire at the end of 2025, leaving millions of Americans facing costly price increases for their coverage. Underwood is calling on Congress to pass the Health Care Affordability Act and make these savings permanent.

With these historic health care cost savings, more than 21 million people — including nearly 400,000 Illinoisans — signed up for Marketplace coverage during the most recent Open Enrollment period, the highest enrollment number ever. 

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