SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — State officials say that individual insurance premiums in California's health exchange for the uninsured will rise an average of 1.8% next year.

The low increase is credited to record enrollment and increased competition among health carriers, some of whom are expanding their coverage areas. In the last year, nearly 250,000 people purchased insurance through Covered California, bringing the total to 1.6 million people.

Officials say the vast majority signed up since April, thanks largely to President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which reduces costs for some people and makes health insurance free for many others through 2022.