US Obamacare enrollment drops 13% as federal subsidies expire

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported a 13 percent decline in Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) enrollment, falling from a projected 22.1 million in 2025 to 19.2 million this year. Analysts say the drop is likely driven by the expiration of federal subsidies on January 1, which caused sharp premium increases that many consumers could not afford.

Cynthia Cox, vice‑president of the ACA program at the non‑profit research group KFF, said “real people lost their health‑insurance coverage” as premiums rose by double‑ and even triple‑digit percentages. A federal estimate in January showed about 800,000 fewer people enrolled compared with the same period last year— the first enrollment decline in four years at that point in the buying window. KFF expects total enrollment could continue falling toward roughly 17.5 million for the year. The subsidy issue has been a focal point of partisan battles in Congress ahead of the November elections, where health‑care affordability remains a top voter concern.