As Affordable Care Act Enrollment Declines and Premiums Increase, Will Congress Take Action?
Federal data show premiums rising as insurers propose another year of double-digit hikes and Congress leaves enhanced subsidies to expire.
- Enrollment in the Affordable Care Act declined by nearly 3 million people between 2025 and 2026, marking a sharp reversal after several years of rapid growth, according to federal data.
- The Trump administration attributes the decline to its crackdown on fraud, but the drop also follows Congress allowing pandemic-era financial assistance to expire earlier this year, leaving many Americans facing higher monthly payments.
- Retiree MV Barnes dropped her coverage after premiums rose from $800 to $1,200, while Ohio and Oklahoma lost nearly one-third of enrollees—a decline seen in almost every state.
- Sen. Bill Cassidy and President Trump advocate for annual, direct payments of up to $2,000 for families, arguing "when you give it to the family, they will use 100% of it for the care they need."
- Policy analyst Matt McGough expects enrollment will continue to decrease throughout the year as premium payments squeeze budgets, though reform efforts face uncertainty as Republicans juggle priorities ahead of midterm elections.
30 Articles
30 Articles
As Affordable Care Act enrollment declines and premiums increase, will Congress take action?
The Trump administration says declining enrollment is due to its crackdown on fraud, but it comes after Congress allowed a policy providing enhanced financial assistance to millions of Americans to expire.
Premium Disaster Watch: Health Care Costs Keep Soaring as Americans Pay the Price for Republican Cuts and Billionaire Tax Breaks
Families are being forced to make impossible choices between going to the doctor, paying for prescriptions, and keeping up with everyday expenses like rent or groceries. And the crisis is...
Latest data from Washington state shows that approximately 66,000 people have opted out of their Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance plans purchased through the state's Health Benefit Exchange this year, either during or shortly after the open enrollment period. Last year, about 14% of policyholders opted out, and this year that figure is approaching 25%. According to a report from the Washington Health Benefit Exchange, the expiration of…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 96% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
