Obamacare

The ACA designers might have assumed that they spelled out with sufficient clarity that millions would no longer have to pay for certain types of preventive care. But they didn’t reckon with America’s ever-creative medical billing juggernaut.

A record 21.3 million people signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act federal marketplace during the 2024 open enrollment period, according to a final tally announced by CMS.

With the deadline of 11:59 p.m. Tuesday approaching, Florida has more than 4 million Obamacare enrollees. Nationally, the ACA added 3.7 million for a record tally of about 20 million.

Suburbs in South Florida that have swung toward Donald Trump are where the Obamacare health care program is more popular than anywhere else in the country

The regulatory proposal was announced Nov. 15 and is likely one of the last major Obamacare policy efforts of the president’s term.

Duval County ranks 46 of 67 Florida counties in health outcomes, so easier ways to get health insurance are needed, according to Dr. Sunil Joshi, Jacksonville’s chief health officer.

"We could see a pretty significant increase," says Jodi Ray, of Florida Covering Kids & Families, which provides free navigator services to anyone in need. The enrollment period began Wednesday.

The federal government has set the enrollment period for Affordable Care Act insurance from Wednesday to Jan. 15. Last year, Florida led the nation in the number of enrollees.

The set of health policy ideas have been GOP favorites for decades. It could mean cheaper health insurance but would undermine protections for patients in the Affordable Care Act.

That coverage was thrown into question by a March ruling from a federal judge in Texas, who said some of the preventive care requirements under the law are unconstitutional.