Health Insurance

Obama urges people to sign up for ObamaCare before Sunday deadline

Former President Obama on Saturday encouraged Americans to sign up for ObamaCare before the enrollment deadline on Sunday.

“Go to and join more than two million Americans who have gotten covered over the last six months,” Obama tweeted along with the link to the registration website.

The special enrollment period for Affordable Care Act policies, which are available to uninsured people in multiple states, originally launched in mid-February under the Biden administration. More than 2.5 million people have signed up for coverage since then, according to CNN.

Those who choose to enroll will pay up to 8.5 percent of their income toward coverage, a decrease from the previous 10 percent contribution required. Policyholders who have a lower income or received unemployment benefits this year also qualify for subsidies that can cancel out premiums depending on the plan, the news outlet noted. 

The appeal from the former president, for whom the healthcare policy is nicknamed, comes amid a global pandemic that has killed more than 600,000 people in the U.S. During the early days of the pandemic, businesses and other places of work were forced to shut down due to social distancing measures. Those who were not able to work from home often lost their jobs and therefore their health care. 
 
Nearly 2.6 million Americans have reportedly joined the federal exchange since extra aid was launched, with their monthly premiums decreasing by about 40 percent.