UPDATE: Enrollments in Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance plans have dropped by 1.2 million, following an open enrollment period that ended on January 15. This significant decrease comes after 23 million individuals secured coverage this year, compared to 24.2 million who enrolled during the previous period in late 2024 and early 2025, as reported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
The sharp decline is largely attributed to the expiration of temporary subsidies on January 1, which had helped to mitigate soaring premium costs. Since the subsidies ended, some consumers have seen their rates double or even triple. Lawmakers are currently in urgent discussions about potentially extending these subsidies to alleviate the financial burden on millions of Americans.
The subsidy expiration was a central issue during the record 43-day federal government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025, coinciding with the start of the 2026 fiscal year. If Congress acts swiftly to reintroduce the subsidies and reopen the now-closed enrollment period, it could invigorate sign-ups, potentially exceeding last year’s totals.
According to the latest figures, there are 19.59 million returning policyholders this year, alongside 3.38 million new enrollees, resulting in a total of 22.97 million individual health insurance policies purchased through ACA and various state marketplaces. Notably, residents across 30 states utilized the ACA marketplace for their policies, while the remaining health insurance policies were sold through exchanges in 20 states. Among state exchanges, 7.2 million policies were sold, with 6.34 million going to returning customers and 864,572 to new customers.
As debates continue in Congress, the urgency for action is critical. Millions of Americans are left in limbo as they face rising health insurance costs. The potential extension of subsidies not only has immediate implications for affordability but also affects the overall health security of families across the nation.
Stay tuned for further developments as lawmakers work to address this pressing issue, and what it could mean for American health care in the coming months.
