Millions drop Obamacare health coverage after subsidies expire and costs rise

[dalton99a]

https://apnews.com/article/affordable-care-act-obamacare-health-subsidies-premiums-3dc9a0cd249a7622ce31e8559bfff729

Millions drop Obamacare health coverage after subsidies expire and costs rise
By ALI SWENSON
Updated 12:51 PM CDT, June 27, 2026

NEW YORK (AP) — About 3 million fewer people in the United States had Affordable Care Act health insurance plans in February compared with the same time last year, according to new federal data.

In the report released Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggested the 13% drop in enrollment from 22.1 million people in 2025 to 19.2 million this year could be attributed to a federal crackdown on fraudulent or “phantom” enrollment. But health analysts said it was more likely related to the Jan. 1 expiration of federal subsidies, which caused a surge in plan costs that resulted in many people being unable to pay their premiums.

“We know that real people lost their health insurance coverage,” said Cynthia Cox, a vice president and director of the ACA program at the healthcare research nonprofit KFF, citing survey findings on people who had left their plans. “This coverage loss happened at the same time millions of people faced double or even triple digit increases in their premium payments.”

The new data, compiled in April but showing coverage in February, represents the government’s first official look at how people’s inability to pay their first bills this year affected total enrollment. That is because the figures capture the marketplace after a nonpayment grace period expired.

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And their taxes are paying for the tyrant's health care

[leftstreet]

1. Single Payer Nonprofit Healthcare NOW !!

[spooky3]

2. Yet the additional taxes many pay to cover subsidies weren't

Changed. So where is that money going?

[dem4decades]

4. Elon thanks you for his tax cut.

[RockRaven]

3. To all the selfish dickheads out there who voted for that, you should know that this will raise your premiums.

You fucking played yourself. Again.

People losing coverage means more uncompensated services inevitably will be provided, which raises prices across the board for those with coverage. Along with more hospitals and clinics closing, which means even if you are covered and paying more, you also will have to travel farther and wait longer for care.

Great job. Just fantastic.

[dalton99a]

6. +1

[ColoringFool]

5. Trump the Sadist Always Cries "Fraud! Cheating! Vandalism!"......

Done by "vicious, nasty" others who "hate America."

He's a psychopath, but he knows how to deflect.

[Turbineguy]

7. As a society we pay for it. At least, indirectly

It's just more convoluted and less efficient. That's why it costs so much.

[Ron Green]

8. One risk pool is a health care system. Multiple risk pools is an investment scheme.

We have enough investment schemes in this country; we need a health care system.

[MichMan]

9. When the enhanced subsidies were passed as a response to the pandemic, everyone knew when they were going to expire