Plan selections in the Affordable Care Act Marketplace were 3.5 percent behind last year’s number with two weeks left in open enrollment, but the drop-off is not as severe as some analysts predicted.
Some 22.8 million people had selected a plan by Jan. 3, about 830,000 fewer than at the same point in 2025. The program—popularly known as Obamacare—appears on track for its second-highest enrollment ever.
The open enrollment period began on Nov. 1 and ends on Jan. 15. During open enrollment, anyone can sign up for Obamacare. Outside that period, only those who report a qualifying life event, such as a birth, divorce, or job change, can enroll….