Enrollment in Affordable Care Act plans down 3.5%, new federal data shows - See state by state enrollments
The healthcare.gov website on a laptop arranged in Norfolk, Virginia, US, on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Fewer Americans signed up for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance as costs increased due to expiring subsidies.
By the numbers:
Data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shows about 800,000 fewer enrollments, a 3.5% drop, at the start of 2026 compared to last year at this time.
RELATED: 1 in 4 Affordable Care Act enrollees say they would go 'uninsured' if tax credits expire: poll
Dig deeper:
The CMS data shows the drop includes fewer new sign-ups and consumers not renewing their 2025 plans and includes sign-ups through Jan. 3 for the states that use Healthcare.gov for enrolling in ACA plans and through Dec. 27 for states that have their own State-Based Exchanges (SBEs). In most states, the period for shopping for plans continues through Jan. 15 for plans that start in February.
The decline in applications comes as enhanced tax credits are set to expire and experts warn that the number of people who have signed up for plans may still drop even further, as enrollees get their first bill in January and some choose to cancel.
The Source: Information in this article was sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and includes information from The Associated Press and previous FOX Local reporting. This story was reported from Orlando.