More than 100,000 Americans signed up for health care plans under President Barack Obama's "Obamacare" policy Wednesday after Donald Trump clinched victory in the presidential election.
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell tweeted Thursday that a record number of signups had been recorded on November 9, when it became clear that Trump—who has promised to repeal the healthcare legislation—would become the 45th U.S. president.
Wednesday's figure is the highest since open enrollment—the annual three-month period during which Americans can apply for health insurance plans—began on November 1.
Best day yet this Open Enrollment. Nov 9: Over 100K plan selections on https://t.co/VvaQqwzQu6. Consumers shopping & enrolling. #GetCovered
— Sylvia Burwell (@SecBurwell) November 10, 2016
Commenting on the large number of signups, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said that it was "an indication of the intense demand" for affordable health care plans among Americans, USA Today reported.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed in 2010 and was the largest overhaul of the U.S. health care system in half a century. The act has extended health care coverage to a further 20 million people but has forced up insurance premiums for private health care customers.
Trump has promised to begin the process of repealing Obamacare "on day one" of his administration. The Republican will be sworn into office on January 20, 2017.
The Republican party, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, has expressed its commitment to getting rid of Obamacare. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters in Washington on Wednesday, following the news that Trump had been elected, that repealing Obamacare was "a pretty high item on our agenda" and called the act the "single worst piece of legislation among many bad pieces of legislation passed in the first two years of the Obama presidency."
