MIAMI.- In an unprecedented event, more than 4.21 million residents in Florida have enrolled in the health insurance program Obamacareaccording to the final figures for the period of registrations this year, published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
This represents an increase of almost 25% over the previous year, when 3.38 million people signed up.
The Sunshine State leads in enrollment, significantly outpacing neighboring states. Meanwhile, Texas registered 3.48 million registeredwhile California reached 1.73 million.
National figures show an overall increase with more than 5 million new enrollees nationwide in Obamacare, the program officially called the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Obamacare grows
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra emphasized the importance of the ACA in the healthcare landscape. He noted that more than 21 million Americans rely on coverage provided by Healthcare.gov and marketplaces created by states.
Florida and Texas, despite leading in enrollment, are two of ten states that have chosen not to expand eligibility for Medicaid, an option allowed under Obamacare.
Los Republicans in Florida have maintained their opposition to Medicaid expansioneven when other states have adopted it. But they have a reason. They argue that Medicaid expansion is too costly and that the federal government does not guarantee long-term funding for the program.
The governor Ron DeSantis, in his presidential campaign, promised to present an alternative proposal to Obamacare sometime this year. However, with his campaign ending after being defeated in Iowa, it is unclear whether he will follow through with that proposal.
Some analysts questioned at the time whether DeSantis really had a plan or if he was just using the issue as a political strategy to differentiate himself from Trump and appeal to Republican voters who are dissatisfied with Obamacare.
Record enrollment growth underscores the ACA’s continued importance in providing affordable medical coverage for millions of Americans and their families.
