Roughly 3.2 million Americans signed up for health insurance through the ACA exchanges in the first five weeks of the 2019 open enrollment period — an 11 percent decrease compared to the same period a year prior, according to The Hill.
Here are three things to know:
1. In the first five weeks of the 2018 open enrollment period, 3.6 million, or 406,000 more Americans, enrolled in a health plan through the federal exchange.
2. Some health insurance experts said the decline could reflect the Trump administration's funding cuts to advertising and enrollment assistance groups. Others pointed to the fact that come 2019, Americans will no longer face a penalty for forgoing health insurance, according to The Hill.
3. In addition to overall enrollment, the number of new enrollees on the federal exchange is down 17 percent year over year. Americans have until Dec. 15 to enroll in coverage on the federal exchange.
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