The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) claimed approximately 50,000 less patients have died in hospitals due in part of provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also referred to as Obamacare.

The HHS report, which highlighted 2010 through 2013, also estimated nearly $12 billion in health care costs was saved due to reductions in hospital-acquired conditions. The HHS said the progress toward a "safe health care system" occurred as hospitals also made the effort to reduce adverse events.

According to HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell, details of the report are "welcome news for patients and their families." Burwell added, "[This] data represents significant progress in improving the quality of care that patients receive while spending our health care dollars more wisely. HHS will work with partners across the country to continue to build on this progress."

Specifically, the ACA provisions such as the Medicare payment incentives and the HHS Partnership for Patients initiative was highlighted by the fewer hospital deaths and finances saved.

"Never before have we been able to bring so many hospitals, clinicians and experts together to share in a common goal -- improving patient care," said American Hospital Association President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock. "We have built an 'infrastructure of improvement' that will aid hospitals and the health care field for years to come and has spurred the results you see today."

The HHS noted most of the significant positive figures occurred in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, nearly 35,000 fewer patient deaths in hospitals and about 800,000 fewer incidents of harm occurred, which reportedly equated to $8 billion in savings.

The HHS details come as the second open enrollment period of HealthCare.gov and state-level health insurance marketplace exchanges started on Nov. 15. According to Burwell, the first full week of the second open enrollment period saw "millions" of people either contact the in-person assisters, speak to a call center representative or visit both English and Spanish websites of HealthCare.gov.

The first full week, between Nov. 15 and Nov. 21, the HHS encountered 462,125 plans selected, which comprised 52 percent of consumers renewing their health insurance coverage and 48 percent representing new consumers.

"We had a solid start, but we have a lot of work to do every day between now and February 15," said Burwell. "People are ready to get covered, and visitors to HealthCare.gov are seeing more competition, affordable options and an improved consumer experience."

Burwell's statistics are only for the federal HealthCare.gov exchange and not the state-level websites. In regards to HealthCare.gov, 3.74 million users visited the federal health insurance website. The Spanish-equivalent website, CuidadoDeSalud.gov, accrued 95,730 users.

According to HHS, 37 states use the federal marketplace since these states have not adopted a local-level health insurance exchange website. The states are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Enrollees who select a plan by Dec. 15 could start receiving their coverage starting Jan. 1, 2015. The second open enrollment period concludes Feb. 15. Obtaining health insurance from HealthCare.gov is only valid for U.S. citizens still living within the country. Individuals who chose not to receive health insurance will pay a higher penalty fee for 2015 than the rate set in 2014. For 2015's rates, the penalty is 2 percent of the individual's income or $325 per adult and $162.50 per child, "whichever is more."

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