This is the best OEP ever for the ACA for several reasons:
The expanded/enhanced premium subsidies first introduced in 2021 via the American Rescue Plan, which make premiums more affordable for those who already qualified while expanding eligibility to millions who weren't previously eligible, are continuing through the end of 2025 via the Inflation Reduction Act;
A dozen states are either launching, continuing or expanding their own state-based subsidy programs to make ACA plans even more affordable for their enrollees;
100,000 or more DACA recipients are finally eligible to enroll in ACA exchange plans & receive financial assistance!
9/29/25: Welcome Paul Krugman subscribers! I greatly appreciate the shoutout by him but should add the following clarification:
Regarding the chart below which he reposted comparing the original ACA subsidy scale to the current version: You probably think that if the enhanced subsidies expire it will revert back to the original version, which would be bad enough. In fact, however, the Trump Regime has also made THAT version even worse, like so:
Covered California is encouraging all uninsured Californians to sign up for health insurance by Dec. 31.
The open-enrollment period for 2026 ends on Jan. 31, but to have insurance in place for January, consumers need to enroll by the end of the year. Covered California’s over 1.9 million enrollees also have until Dec. 31 to make any changes to their coverage for next year.
It has been a unique open enrollment with the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits set to expire heading into 2026. Since their introduction in 2021, the enhanced assistance has helped double enrollment nationally under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and by over 23 percent in California.
So far this open enrollment, 123,461 Californians have signed up for 2026 coverage as of Dec. 20, marking a 30 percent decrease over the same period last year.
Yesterday I corrected a bunch of factual misstatements (aka "lies") and gross exaggerations about the ACA's premium tax credits and the GOP's refusal to extend the enhanced subsidy formula made by Oklahoma Senator James Lankford in his appearance on CNN's State of the Union with host Kasie Hunt.
Today, I'm addressing the most critical exchange of his appearance:
LANKFORD: "I would tell you uh healthcare in 2010 before Obamacare kicked in. Healthcare in 2010 the normal premium was $215. $215. Now take what it is now after Obamacare has been put in place and I think the..."
HUNT: "...Right, but insurance companies could could refuse to cover you for a pre-existing condition. I mean the health care system was vastly different before Obamacare for for many of those reasons."
Whether the data posted since January 20, 2025 is accurate or not, I can't say for certain, but at least they're updating it...and so far, at least, I don't see anything in their monthly reports which is setting off any obvious red flags.
In any event, according to the latest report, as of September 2025:
Total Medicare beneficiaries are up to 69.36 million (up ~77K month over month)
Traditional/FFM Medicare beneficiaries are at 33.79 million (flat m/m)
Medicare Advantage beneficiaries reached 35.57 million (up ~77K m/m)
12.12 million Medicare enrollees (around 17.5% of the total) were "Dual Eligibles"...that is, enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid.
The only number which seems odd is the 384K increase in Dual Eligibles...I'm not sure what to make of that.
According to the new report, total enrollment from December 2024 through March 2025 only dropped slightly (just over 30,000 people, or just 0.14%), and remained at over 20.7 million nationally, so it doesn't look like the Trump Admin has started cooking these particular books, at least not yet.
I've been able to cobble together more recent ACA expansion enrollment for about half of the 40 states (+DC) which participate in the program; since March, expansion enrollment has dropped in some states but is actually up in some others. It remains remarkably stable so far, although this is going to change radically with the draconian provisions of the GOP's Big Ugly Bill starting to kick in soon.
Yesterday morning on CNN's "State of the Union," host Kasie Hunt talked to Oklahoma GOP Sen. James Lankford about the enhanced ACA tax credits which are currently scheduled to expire exactly 10 days from now.
This gets into the weeds a bit, so I'm breaking it into two separate posts; I'll be publishing the second part tomorrow.
The crux of the CNN appearance was Langford claiming that "Obamacare" (the Affordable Care Act...guys, he's been out of office for nearly 9 years now, let it go willya?) "caused prices to skyrocket in the marketplace" and that the expiration of the enhanced tax credits put into place in 2021 during the COVID pandemic is simply "exposing the real issues" within the ACA.
First of all, let's clear up this "they were only put in place due to the COVID pandemic" talking point which Republicans keep tossing around (the implication being that since the COVID pandemic is over, the subsidy upgrade should end as well).
Get it straight: Eliminating the 400% FPL subsidy cliff and beefing up the tax credit formula is something which Democrats always intended to do when they had the ability to do so.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesotans have until January 15, 2026, to sign up for 2026 health insurance through MNsure. While the first enrollment deadline has passed, consumers can still go to the MNsure website to find a plan and sign up for coverage that starts February 1. The final deadline to enroll is 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, January 15.
Financial help for Minnesota health care plans is still available only through MNsure. MNsure-certified brokers and navigators provide free expert help and enrollment advice—from trusted professionals who won’t try to upsell consumers.
“MNsure offers a variety of plans that meet Minnesotans’ needs and budgets,” said MNsure CEO Libby Caulum. “As the official health insurance marketplace, MNsure is the best place to shop for a plan you can trust, without fear of scams or false promises.”
BOSTON—The Massachusetts Health Connector’s New Year deadline is looming, with residents without health coverage having until Dec. 23 to enroll in affordable, comprehensive health insurance that starts Jan. 1, 2026.
Most people who apply for health insurance through the Health Connector get help paying for their coverage through the ConnectorCare program. The Health Connector is the state’s health insurance Marketplace, the only place where residents can get help paying for their coverage, and where residents can be assured they are getting a comprehensive health plan they can count on and avoid the junk plans that lurk on search engines.
Since we're past the initial December 15th Open Enrollment Deadline for coverage starting January 1st in most states and since there's been several enrollment deadline extensions announced by various states (including two more today), I figured this would be a good time to post a completely updated rundown of just what the remaining deadlines are for every state as well as what your options are if you miss them.
This is basically a standalone version of the first section of my annual Open Enrollment Guide; I hope that separating it out will make it less overwhelming.
IDAHO: December 15th was the only deadline for 2026 coverage. If you missed it, you're pretty much out of luck unless you qualify for one of the following exceptions:
