U.S. Uninsurance Crisis Accelerates as Millions Lose Obamacare Coverage

Nearly 3 million people dropped Obamacare health‑insurance plans during the first two months of 2026, a 13 % decline from the 22.1 million who enrolled in 2025, according to the Associated Press. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 7.5 million will lose coverage for the year, and if first‑quarter trends continue the total could exceed 10 million.

Additional losses are expected from Medicaid as new work‑requirement rules and administrative hurdles remove millions of beneficiaries. The CDC reported 28 million uninsured in 2025 (8.3 % of the population). With the removal of Biden‑era subsidies and other policy changes, the uninsured rate is projected to rise above 11 %. Premiums for employer‑based coverage are expected to increase as insurers seek to offset uncompensated care costs, with early filings indicating large premium hikes for individual plans on the exchanges.