Gov. Evers Celebrates Wisconsin’s Highest Enrollment Ever on HealthCare.gov

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced that, according to new enrollment data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,306,470 Wisconsinites have signed up for health insurance on the individual marketplace through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), marking the highest enrollment Wisconsin has ever reached. This year’s record surpasses last year’s record-breaking yearby more than 40,000 enrollees. Enrollment is open until Jan. 15, 2025, and Wisconsinites are still eligible to sign up for one of the dozens of health plans available on the federal marketplace at Healthcare.gov. Those who already have insurance through the marketplace can also renew, update, or upgrade their health plans.

“Since Day One, we’ve been working to ensure Wisconsinites have affordable healthcare,and I’m proud of our efforts to help more Wisconsinites across our state get covered,” said Gov. Evers. “The ACA has never been more important, with a record number of Wisconsinites now signed up for affordable, high-quality health insurance through the federal marketplace, ensuring they can access preventive care, vaccinations, life-saving prescriptions, and more. Wisconsinites still have time to enroll, so head to Healthcare.gov by January 15 to get covered.”

Wisconsinites are encouraged to visit WisCovered.com to get connected with free, expert help and find accurate information from trusted resources. These experts help Wisconsinites understand their coverage options and determine if they qualify for subsidized health insurance premiums through the marketplace or free coverage through BadgerCare if they qualify. Wisconsin also has one of the most competitive individual health insurance markets in the nation, with 13 insurers participating for plan year 2025. An interactive map of health insurers available by county can be found here.

“Connect with a licensed health insurance agent, broker, or navigator today to understand your options and find the right HealthCare.gov plan for you and your family,” said Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) Commissioner Nathan Houdek. “With the support of Gov. Evers’ administration, we have sustained one of the most competitive health insurance markets in the country, and every Wisconsin consumer has a number of high-quality, ACA-compliant plans to choose from.”

“All Wisconsinites deserve high-quality, affordable healthcare and the ability to choose the most appropriate insurance plan for themselves and their families,” said Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary Kirsten Johnson. “We are grateful for our strong community partnerships that connect people and families to the healthcare coverage they need, so they can access medical care when and where they need it.”

Gov. Evers has long been committed to ensuring every Wisconsinite has access to quality, affordable healthcare. In 2019, the governor delivered on his promise to withdraw the state of Wisconsin from a Republican-led lawsuit that would have gutted the ACA, kicked thousands of Wisconsinites off their healthcare, and put 2.4 million Wisconsinites who have a pre-existing condition at risk. Gov. Evers also launched the DHS OCI Health Care Coverage Partnership in 2019 to improve coordination around outreach and education, increase enrollment and health insurance literacy, and improve enrollment retention. In 2020, this partnership launched WisCovered.com as an accessible resource for consumers looking for information about health coverage. Services are available in English, Spanish, and Hmong.

Since it was signed into law by former President Barack Obama in 2010, the ACA has been transformational for folks and families across the state and country, providing healthcare coverage to millions of Wisconsin families and ensuring folks can access health insurance without lifetime limits and protecting the coverage of more than 100 million Americans—including 2.4 million Wisconsinites—who have pre-existing conditions. The ACA and its related regulations were also groundbreaking in ensuring access to birth control and contraception care, as most plans are required to cover these services with no out-of-pocket costs for consumers. Another key provision of the ACA, authored by U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), allows young people to stay on their parents’ insurance until the age of 26.

Since its creation, the ACA has saved Wisconsinites and Americans millions in healthcare costs. Thanks to the efforts of the Biden-Harris Administration and Sen. Baldwin, coverage today is more affordable than ever. Premium subsidies extended by the Biden Administration have helped 88 percent of Wisconsin consumers afford their health insurance premiums. Bolstered by the American Rescue Plan Act and extended by the Inflation Reduction Act, in 2023, the majority of Wisconsinites who enrolled in health insurance on HealthCare.gov qualified for cost savings, with the average person saving $573.11 on their monthly insurance premiums.

The successful Wisconsin Healthcare Stability Plan (WIHSP) has also held down rates on the individual marketplace. WHISP was created by 2017 Wisconsin Act 138, a bipartisan bill signed into law in 2018 and implemented under Gov. Evers. WIHSP has helped keep health insurance rates low while increasing choices for consumers every year it has been in operation. Due to support from Gov. Evers and the Wisconsin State Legislature, WIHSP has been fully funded in each of the last three state biennial budgets. This program was most recently extended through Dec. 31, 2028.

In 2022, health insurance rates were 14.5 percent lower, and in 2023, rates were 13.7 percent lower than they would have been without WIHSP. Rates on HealthCare.gov would have increased by 19.5 percent for the 2025 plan year, based on a weighted average. Thanks to WIHSP, rates on the individual health insurance market in Wisconsin will instead increase by a weighted average of 8.2 percent for the 2025 plan year.

Wisconsinites can explore their coverage options at any time at Healthcare.gov. To get connected to free, expert help and explore cost-saving options, Wisconsinites are encouraged to visit WisCovered.com.

An online version of this release is available here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.