ACA enrollment sinks sharply as coverage costs soar in 2026

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

Updated on: January 13, 2026 / 3:33 PM EST


Far fewer Americans enrolled in an Affordable Care Act health care plan, new federal data shows, with millions facing higher premiums after tax subsidies under the insurance program expired in December

According to figures from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), 22.8 million people have signed up for ACA coverage for 2026 since open enrollment started on Nov. 1. That's down 1.4 million from the number of Americans who had enrolled in Obamacare, as the health plans are known, a year ago.

Nationally, around 800,000 fewer people have selected plans compared to a similar time last year, marking a 3.5% drop in total enrollment so far. That includes a decrease in both new consumers signing up for ACA plans and existing enrollees re-upping them. Open ACA enrollment in most states for February coverage ends on Jan. 15.

The drop in enrollment comes as many ACA participants face sharply higher monthly premiums because of a December 31 lapse in tax credits that lowered households' monthly health plan costs. After months of debate and a 6-week government shutdown, Congress has yet to extend the credits or settle on another remedy.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/aca-subsidies-tax-credits-health-insurance/

[Skittles]

1. mission accomplished

repukes do not give a fuck if WE THE PEOPLE can access affordable healthcare

[Bengus81]

4. Yep....Now on to destroying Medicare and Social Security

[wolfie001]

2. Every tRUMP voter deserves to get crushed

Best of luck to the Dem voters stuck in this pathetic situation caused by the fat orange imbecile.

[moniss]

3. As the insured risk pool decreases and

the total aggregate of premiums to cover the pool declines they will escalate the premiums per insured that remains in the ACA plans. It's the GQP way to kill the ACA by collapse due to high premiums. The insurance industry wants to go back to what they had before which was medically underwriting the pool of risk in order to reduce claims while also keeping premiums high which then equals maximum and massive profits.

[travelingthrulife]

5. Next January Medicaid will be dead and millions more will be without insurance.

Plus...our non-rich person tax increase starts then. Whoot! USA!


Yet we're gonna run Venezuela, Greenland and Iran.

[hueymahl]

6. Color me surprised

Who knew incentives influenced action?

[Lanius]

7. How many of these idiots who now have 3x higher health care premiums voted for Trump?

And how many would still vote for Trump even after this?

[GenThePerservering]

8. This is going to cost a fortune

Because guess who picks up the inflated ER bills when these poor souls have no other recourse? Us.

That's just cold dollars. Never mind people going into bankruptcy because they become I'll.

Welcome to the third world where life is cheap and billionaires are expensive.

[young_at_heart]

9. It's hard not to feel depressed (and extremely sad)

after reading this and knowing that Congress has yet to extend the credits or settle on another remedy.