The Health Insurance Marketplace in New Hampshire will offer open enrollment for the fourth year in a row this fall. Enrollment in the Marketplace starts Nov. 1, coverage becomes effective on Jan. 1 and the open enrollment period will run through Jan. 31.

The accomplishments of Obamacare in our state cannot be overstated, but they are sometimes lost in translation.

More than 50,000 New Hampshire residents now have comprehensive coverage under the New Hampshire Heath Protection Program, and more than 60,0000 of our neighbors have signed up for coverage though the marketplace.

All told, we have cut the number of uninsured in our state almost in half in just three years – and we now have one of the lowest levels of uninsured citizens in the nation, according to the New York Times.

That means peace of mind to working families, and huge savings in terms of uncompensated care to our hospitals.

Yet, Obamacare is no magic bullet – it cannot solve all of our health care needs. But what it has done is make health care more affordable and attainable to tens of thousands in our state by increasing the number of carriers in our market significantly, and boosting the amount of options and plans.

But, New Hampshire faces other issues that impact our health care market. We have one of the fastest aging populations in the nation – and that is very expensive for our health care system. As younger people leave the state, and the population over 50 outstrips the population under 50, insurance costs rise, as fewer younger, healthy people pay into the system.

It is no secret that our health care system in New Hampshire is expensive, with costs being well above the national average. While hospitals have begun to consolidate costs, merge and benefit from a huge reduction in uncompensated care, it will take time to bring costs down.

Obamacare has meant progress. It has moved our system forward and brought affordable care to tens of thousands of working New Hampshire families. Nothing happens in a bubble, however – and the state needs to make additional reforms to help stabilize our economy as well as our health care system.

Fortunately, efforts like the health care services price transparency website, NH HealthCost from the N.H. Insurance Department, have helped to make us all better consumers. We can now be better aware of costs and results. And our website at CoveringNewHampshire.org helps Granite State residents and small businesses learn more about health coverage options under the federal marketplace.

While some may wish to continue debating the merits of these programs, it is difficult to deny the solid return on investment they offer our state.

Today, we see residents who were previously uninsured, some with expensive chronic ailments that were left uncared for, who are now healthier because they can afford the medical treatments and medication they need.

Expanding coverage to the uninsured lowers what many have referred to as the “hidden tax.” Businesses who offer insurance to their employees and those who buy individual insurance plans have paid higher premiums for years to cover the unpaid expenses of those who were uninsured and can’t afford the medical bills.

With the vast majority of New Hampshire residents covered by comprehensive plans today, people are getting better care and going to the doctor instead of the emergency room, and fewer people are struggling to pay mounting unpaid bills for vital medical services.

(Jayme H. Simoes lives in Concord.)