Millions More Americans Uninsured After Lapse Of Premium Subsidies

Source: Huff Post

Mar 19, 2026, 06:00 PM EDT | Updated 10 hours ago


Millions of Americans have lost health insurance after lawmakers let enhanced federal subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans expire following last year’s government shutdown battle, a study released Thursday found. About 1 in 10 Americans who were enrolled in an ACA plan last year now have no health coverage, according to surveys by the health care research nonprofit KFF. That amounts to around 2 million people.

“The prices are simply too high,” a 34-year-old Texas man who dropped coverage told researchers, saying his premiums would have been $800 a month for himself and his partner. “I don’t think we could afford our mortgage if I had to pay for health insurance.”

Among those who reenrolled in the ACA marketplace, 80% said their premiums, deductibles or co-pays have increased from last year. About half of enrollees characterize their costs as “a lot higher.” A majority of returning enrollees say they already have or will soon be cutting back on food and basic household supplies to afford their ACA plans this year.

That finding coincides with other research released last week that more than 80 million Americans ― about one-third of the country ― make daily trade-offs to afford health care, including by including rationing prescriptions, borrowing money, skipping meals, driving less and cutting back on utilities.

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/millions-uninsured-aca-premium-subsidies_n_69bc5760e4b0bb6debb82b68?origin=home-latest-news-unit