Who gets health insurance through Obamacare?

On the balance, 17 million more people have insurance than would have without Obamacare.

By Sarah Kliff Updated Jan 5, 2017, 2:33pm EST

Part of Everything you need to know about Obamacare

The most recent estimates show that about 23 million people have gained coverage through Obamacare’s insurance expansion. Another 6 million or so people lost their health plans as a result of the law. This means that, on the balance, 17 million more people have insurance than would have without Obamacare.

These people are coming into their new plans through three main channels: the Medicaid expansion, the new health insurance marketplaces, and the plans that employers offer.

About 8 million more people have insurance at work than did prior to the health care law’s insurance expansion started. Obamacare didn’t do anything specifically to expand employer-sponsored coverage, but it’s individual mandate likely prompted some previously-uninsured people to buy a plan through their jobs.

Medicaid expanded by another 9.6 million members, largely in the 28 states that expanded the program. The individual market, meanwhile, grew by 9.3 million people as many used government subsidies to purchase plans through the new marketplaces.

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