Price of Health Insurance Skyrockets, Millions Of Americans Lose Coverage

Each year since 2021 millions of Americans became new policy holders of health plans, but that growth trend fell off a cliff in 2026 due in large part to the expiration in December of the enhanced premium tax credits for the Affordable Care Act. Ten percent of these policyholders opted-out of their coverage at the start of 2026, and another 14% were unable to make their first monthly payment. Another 10 million are at risk of losing their health coverage. Already in 2025, one million fewer Americans even applied for health plans in anticipation of the federal cuts. The first to leave health plans were the youngest and healthiest while the chronically ill are the most desperate to keep their coverage, even if it requires severe sacrifices in other areas. Adding millions of Americans to the list of the uninsured only adds to the threat to the 734 U.S. hospitals at risk of closure, and this is a threat to everybody. Currently about 27 million Americans have no health coverage, according to the Wall Street Journal. While the Affordable Care Act was terrible, having millions with no health coverage is no solution.