U.S. signs up more than 14.5 mln people for Obamacare health insurance

More than 14.5 million Americans signed up for Obamacare health insurance for 2022, a 21% jump over last year and the highest since the Affordable Care Act was signed 12 years ago, the U.S. government said on Wednesday.

About 10.3 million people enrolled from the 33 U.S. states that use the online marketplace funded by the federal government and about 4.3 million people from states that sell the insurance directly to their residents.

The law was former U.S. President Barack Obama's signature piece of domestic legislation.

U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement the Affordable Care Act had helped improve healthcare for millions of Americans and that his administration had recorded an increase in enrollment for Hispanic Americans by 26% and for Black Americans by 35%.

Over 18.7 million adult Americans across 39 states are now insured under expanded eligibility criteria of the Medicaid, Biden said on Wednesday.

The government-backed insurance provides income-based subsidies to those enrolled. Companies that sell such insurance include Centene (CNC.N), CVS Health (CVS.N) and Anthem Inc (ANTM.N).