According to reports from WASHINGTON (AP), approximately 20 million individuals have enrolled in health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act exchanges, setting a new record.

President Joe Biden will likely proclaim those results regularly on the campaign trail for months to come as former President Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner, vows to dismantle the Obama-era program.

On Wednesday morning, the Biden administration shared that 20 million people have signed up for marketplace coverage, just days before the end of the open enrollment period on January 16th.

The most recent estimates for enrollment indicate that a quarter more individuals in the United States have registered for coverage this year compared to the previous year, marking another year of record-breaking numbers with 16.3 million people enrolled in the program. Enrollment saw a surge after President Biden’s inauguration, as Democrats implemented a series of tax incentives that have provided millions of Americans with access to affordable plans, including some with no premiums.

Biden stated that we need to continue building on the progress made and ensure that the reduced health care premiums remain in place permanently. However, he also noted that the efforts have been consistently blocked by radical Republicans.

On Wednesday, the leading health official of the country acknowledged that the increased attention towards healthcare coverage is due to a strong effort to enroll more individuals. The government has collaborated with various non-profit organizations nationwide, particularly in areas with large Black and Latino populations such as South Florida, to encourage enrollment. Additionally, the government has allocated additional funds to hire navigators who assist people with enrolling, a program that was severely reduced during former President Donald Trump’s time in office, as he was a vocal opponent of the Affordable Care Act.

During an interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra stated that the prior administration did not make an attempt to inform individuals about their available options. He added that his department is actively reaching out to people instead of waiting for them to approach them.

However, the positive update on enrollment that the Biden administration praised on Wednesday has not been achieved without consequences. A portion of the numerous new enrollees have resorted to the marketplace because they were removed from Medicaid, which provides low-cost healthcare coverage to the most economically disadvantaged Americans and individuals with disabilities. As a result, the health plans they obtain through the marketplace will come with increased premiums and copayments for services.

Approximately 14.5 million individuals in the United States have been removed from Medicaid in recent times due to the federal government lifting a 3-year ban that prevented states from removing ineligible individuals from the government-funded health insurance program. Last year, states began removing millions of people from Medicaid, which resulted in errors and left some children and pregnant women without proper health insurance coverage in certain states.

On the campaign trail, Trump frequently makes threats to reverse the progress made by the Biden administration on former President Obama’s key health care legislation.

Trump complained about Obamacare at a rally in Iowa, saying that it is a disaster and not enough people are discussing it. He also took the opportunity to criticize the late Republican Senator John McCain for preventing the GOP from repealing the law over five years ago.

While the deadline for enrolling in health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act is Jan. 16, individuals who have lost their Medicaid coverage may still have the opportunity to enroll until the end of July.