Signup deadline for Obamacare arrives Sunday

WASHINGTON — With the Obama health care law undergoing a revival under President Biden, consumers have until Sunday to take advantage of a special signup period for private coverage made more affordable by his COVID-19 relief law.

A strong close would bolster Biden’s case that Congress needs to make permanent the temporary boost in health insurance subsidies provided by the COVID legislation.

The government says more than 2.5 million people have signed up since Biden ordered the HealthCare.gov marketplace to reopen Feb. 15 to account for health insurance needs in the pandemic. Then, starting in April, the cost of coverage came down due to larger subsidies in the COVID law, which attracted more enrollment. Officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are hoping that this deadline weekend in midAugust will surprise skeptics.

“We’ve seen even in the last couple of weeks increased interest in enrollment,” said Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “When you make coverage more affordable, people buy it.”

Biden’s special enrollment period ends at midnight local time Sunday around the country. The regular annual signup season won’t start again until Nov. 1.

Interest has been high in a couple of states feeling the scourge of the delta variant. Nearly 490,000 people have signed up in Florida, and more than 360,000 have done so in Texas.

At a nonprofit service center in Austin, Texas, more than 500 people have enrolled so far with the help of staff and volunteers. Foundation Communities health program director Aaron DeLaO said the schedule is booked and they’re working to clear the waiting list.

“Especially with the delta variant, people are thinking about their health a little more,” he said.

People can apply online, via the HealthCare.gov call center, or through programs like the one in Austin.

The Obama-era Affordable Care Act offers subsidized private insurance to people who don’t have job-based coverage, available in every state. The ACA also expanded Medicaid for low-income adults, an option most states have taken. The two components cover about 27 million people, according to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.