10 Years of ACA Open Enrollment

Dear Friend,

This year I am thinking back to the excitement we felt at the start of the very first Affordable Care Act (ACA) Open Enrollment period—over 10 years ago. Since then, we have seen millions of Americans gain health care coverage, and witnessed enormous benefits to our health care system.

Just think about this: in 2022 the rate of uninsured Americans has dropped to its lowest level ever. This means more lives saved and more time to focus on our families and improving the communities we care so deeply about. After the passage of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, we were able to extend ACA subsidies, and make health insurance more affordable for Americans through 2025. These are incredible achievements that I was proud to support with many of my Democratic colleagues in the Senate, that Americans will actually be able to see and feel.

And the accomplishments keep on getting better: 

Delawareans seeking coverage for 2023 will find more choices in insurers and plans than ever before.

This is excellent news as we enter the 2022 Open Enrollment period for Delaware’s health insurance marketplace. I highly encourage you or your loved ones who need coverage to apply by December 15, 2022 to ensure your coverage can begin on January 1, 2023. Since you will have more options than ever before this year—make sure you are checking the marketplace closely to select the best plan for you and your family.

You may remember that in 2021, Delaware only had one insurer to choose from, but thanks to the progress we’ve made this year in Congress, you will now have three different insurers and 30 comprehensive plans to choose from.

And there’s something else I am quite excited about: thanks to Delaware’s reinsurance program, individual premiums will be lower than ever before. This means lower costs and more money back into your pockets. When I had the honor of serving as Delaware’s Governor, I enacted similar plans to lower health care costs, and am so pleased that folks up and down the First State will continue to have access to affordable insurance.  

You can sign up for a plan that meets your needs and budget or renew existing coverage by going to Healthcare.gov or CuidadodeSalud.gov. You can also call 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325). Enrollment is easy and gaining more information about plan specifics is readily available. If you need assistance with enrolling there are trained navigators to help you, all at no charge and with no commitment for you to sign up, available at:

Westside Family Healthcare (statewide)
Quality Insights, Inc. (New Castle and Sussex counties)
Henrietta Johnson Medical Center (Wilmington)
La Red Health Center (Georgetown)

If you need more information on choosing a health plan, go to www.ChooseHealthDE.com.

And one final thing: be aware that if you don’t act by January 15, 2023, you cannot get coverage for 2023 unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period based on circumstances such as a loss of qualifying health coverage, change of income, becoming a parent, or other qualifying factors.

So, what are you waiting for? Get covered today!

Stay safe and stay healthy,

Tom Carper