She had been paying $400 a month. With her drop in income, that’s now at $60.

But with the COVID-19 relief bill, just signed into law by President Joe Biden, her premium should drop to zero.

“That will be nice,’' said Patel, 31. “Nearly all of my savings have been depleted, so it’ll be nice to be able to save some money right now.’'

The American Rescue Plan has injected the first major financial boost to the ACA in the 11 years since the health law was passed.

Many people already get subsidies or discounts — based on their income — to help them pay for the coverage they get on their state’s exchange.

The newly enacted relief legislation provides, for the first time, subsidy help to those earning more than the current cap of 400% of the federal poverty level — about $51,000 for an individual and $104,800 for a family of four in 2021. People in that category have been paying the full premium for coverage.

The new law also guarantees that people with incomes up to 150% of the poverty level won’t have to pay any premium for a benchmark exchange plan. And others currently receiving subsidies will see them increase, lowering their monthly costs.

The federal poverty level this year is $12,760 for an individual.

These price breaks will be retroactive to Jan. 1, so people who already have insurance exchange plans will get money back.

The relief bill also helps the unemployed. If someone receives unemployment benefits during 2021, that person’s income will be treated as no higher than 133% of the poverty level for exchange coverage. This means they can receive maximum subsidies, including no-premium coverage.

With these changes in federal law, enrollment in health exchanges will undoubtedly swell. “It will have an important effect on expanding coverage,’' said Bill Custer, a health insurance expert at Georgia State University.

“A whole lot of people would have access to coverage and not be trapped in jobs’' they don’t like in order to keep health insurance, he said.

Insurance agents say they’re trying to figure out the effect of the provisions.

The subsidy boost could be especially helpful for people in southwest Georgia, an area that has some of the highest premiums in the nation, said Laura Colbert of the consumer advocacy group Georgians for a Healthy Future.

“Every consumer who shops for coverage will get a better deal than they were able to get even a few weeks ago,’' she said. “Consumers with higher incomes who previously received no financial help will see their premiums drop so that they are no longer paying more than 8.5% of their income.”

Enrollment window is open

Ordinarily, the large share of sign-ups in the exchanges occurs late in the year during the standard open enrollment, in which people buy their coverage for the subsequent year. More than 500,000 Georgians signed up during the regular fall open enrollment period last year to get coverage this year. But these are not ordinary times.

On Feb. 15, Biden reopened the sign-up period for the exchanges, and it’s going on now through May 15.

This special enrollment window was created to help people dealing with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. But many potential customers may be unaware of it.

Custer said that if the feds want to get the word out about the enhanced subsidies and enrollment opening, there needs to be a marketing push before the May 15 deadline.

Already, more than 16,000 Georgians have taken advantage of the extended sign-up window. That’s the third-highest total of any state — behind heavily populated Florida and Texas — among the 36 states that let the federal government run their exchanges. (The other states run their own exchanges.)

Weighing price and benefits

The lower premiums may not entice everyone who has an individual insurance policy.

Christopher Halstead of Plains buys a short-term policy for himself and his son. Such insurance plans have far fewer benefits than exchange policies but attract buyers because of their low cost.

A contract security worker, Halstead, 35, said last week that he doesn’t believe the recalculated premiums from the exchange will be less than the $250 a month he’s paying now for the short-term plan.

Halstead used to have an exchange policy, so he’s well aware they offer more benefits.

Of the improved premium situation in the exchange, he said, “I would check to see if it was a better deal.’'

The improved premium subsidies will last two years.

They could be extended beyond that period, and if they are, “insurers will increase participation in marketplace (exchange) plans,’' Custer said.

As exchange coverage becomes affordable for more people, he said, some smaller employers eventually could stop providing health insurance to their workers, instead giving them financial help to buy it on the exchanges.

Among other health care features, the American Rescue Plan will also make COBRA coverage much less expensive.

The law will subsidize 100% of the cost of premiums for COBRA coverage for workers who are laid off or see their hours reduced. The COBRA subsidy is available only to individuals whose termination or loss of work hours was involuntary.

Those who qualify for the COBRA subsidy could pay less than current employees do, Custer said. “They may prefer that plan to an exchange plan.’'

Andy Miller is editor and CEO of Georgia Health News.