Listen to this article

The Affordable Care Act has achieved its goal of insuring more individuals in the country, according to a New Jersey Policy Perspective report.In New Jersey, that means about 770,000 people remained without insurance in 2015, representing 8.7 percent of the population. That’s an almost 5 percent drop from 2013, when more than 1.1 million people, or 13.2 percent of the population, were uninsured.

With Medicaid expansion, a record 480,000 additional New Jerseyans are insured.

But with a mass exodus of ACA marketplace insurance plans this year, New Jersey’s residents have only half the number of plan options that they did last year.

That doesn’t bode well for the upcoming open enrollment, according to NJPP’s Ray Castro.

He has counted the plans, and the numbers are: Silver plans are dropping from 21 to nine. Bronze plans are dropping from 14 to six.

And they will only come from two insurers: AmeriHealth and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

“There is no question. Consumers have less choice,” Castro said.

He explained the loss was especially significant when the market lost Oscar, and most recently Health Republic. The two new players offered more innovative choices for consumers and had better cost-sharing options, he said.

The issue is one the federal government is aware of, highlighted by a letter from President Barack Obama to insurers around the country.

“As we approach the last open enrollment period of my presidency, I am writing to thank you for the part your organization plays in providing quality, affordable health insurance to millions of Americans through the Health Insurance Marketplace,” Obama said in the letter. “I do not need to tell you the profound difference that access to good, affordable health care is making in the lives of millions of Americans who are being covered. The marketplace has helped contribute to a record low uninsured rate, and marketplace enrollees report high satisfaction, improved access and a reduced chance of falling into medical debt.”

Obama also highlighted the fact that the marketplace suffered in the way any new business would.

“Most new enterprises have growing pains and opportunities for improvement. The marketplace, while strong, is no exception,” he said.

The letter also highlighted a push for millennials to find coverage, including events at the White House this month.

But for New Jersey, the largest portion of remaining uninsured individuals is undocumented immigrants, Castro said.

“As the numbers go down, it’s more apparent we are dealing with (about) 300,000 unauthorized immigrants,” he said.

Even if all the eligible individuals find coverage, New Jersey will still have roughly 5 percent of its population remain uninsured.