How much did the government spend on Obamacare subsidies during 2024? I need an average number PER ENROLEE,

Executive summary — Two different answers, depending on which dataset you use. Using a dataset that reports total premium tax credit outlays of $98 billion and about 20.1 million subsidized marketplace enrollees yields an average government subsidy of roughly $4,880 per enrollee in 2024. A separate calculation based on reported average “savings” of $705 per subsidized enrollee implies a much lower per-enrollee figure of about $705, but that figure appears to reflect a different measure (average reduction in what enrollees paid), not total federal outlays ^{[1] [2]}.

1. Why two different per‑enrollee numbers are being cited — and what each actually measures. One claim comes from a table-style projection that reports $98 billion in premium tax credit outlays for 2024 and roughly 20.1 million subsidized enrollees, which when divided gives an average federal subsidy of about $4,880 per enrollee for the year ^[1]. A contrasting claim reports that subsidized enrollees saved an average of $705 in 2024 thanks to enhanced premium tax credits, and that their average annual premium payment after credits was $888 — a figure some have taken as the government subsidy per person ^[2]. The difference reflects distinct analytic definitions: one is total federal spending divided by number of subsidized enrollees, the other is an average change in what enrollees paid.

2. Which measure is the better answer to “how much did the government spend per enrollee?” If the question seeks the average federal outlay per subsidized enrollee, the $98 billion / 20.1 million calculation is the correct approach and gives about $4,880 per enrollee ^[1]. The $705 figure measures average savings experienced by enrollees, not necessarily the full amount the government paid in premium tax credits; it may exclude non‑marketplace subsidies, differences in enrollment counts, or be focused on a subset of enrollees receiving incremental savings from temporary enhancements ^[2]. For fiscal accounting and policy comparisons, total outlays divided by subsidized enrollees is the standard metric ^[1].

3. Why published figures and advocacy narratives diverge — data sources, periods and intent matter. The materials provided include analyses from different dates and purposes: a June 2024 baseline projection with tables showing outlays and enrollment counts (used to produce the ~$4,880 estimate) and later pieces emphasizing per‑enrollee savings attributable to temporary enhanced credits ($705) ^{[1] [2]}. Some commentaries focus on what consumers paid to highlight short‑term affordability gains, while fiscal analyses emphasize government spending totals. These differences create space for selective presentation: groups arguing that subsidies are costly cite aggregate outlays, while those emphasizing consumer benefit highlight reduced premiums paid by enrollees ^{[1] [2]}.

4. Reconciling the numbers — methodological caveats you should know. The $4,880 per‑enrollee figure assumes the reported $98 billion outlay is allocated solely across the 20.1 million subsidized marketplace enrollees in the table used ^[1]. That average can shift if the denominator includes additional groups (e.g., people eligible but not enrolled, or different timeframes), or if the numerator includes other tax-credit-related payments. The $705 figure likely reflects the incremental reduction in premiums for a subset of marketplace enrollees from enhanced credits and does not necessarily equal total credits paid. Variations in data vintage, population definitions, and whether figures are averages or medians explain the gap ^{[2] [1]}.

5. Bottom line and what to cite for each research purpose. For a straightforward government‑spending per subsidized enrollee answer, cite the June 2024 baseline data showing $98 billion in premium tax credits and ~20.1 million subsidized enrollees, which implies about $4,880 per enrollee in 2024 ^[1]. If your purpose is to describe consumer benefit during enhanced subsidy years, report that subsidized enrollees saw average annual savings of about $705, which reduced their average annual premium payments to roughly $888 — but note this is a different measure than federal outlays ^[2]. Several sources reviewed do not directly state a single consensus per‑enrollee number and present different angles (p1_s2, ^[3], ^[4]–p2_s3).