Trump Administration Cuts Impact ACA Enrollment and Raise Concerns Over Medicaid Viability

The Trump administration announced it would remove close to 800,000 people from health care exchange plans due to enrollment issues. Enrollment in public health plans through the Affordable Care Act marketplace has dropped by at least 3 million people since the expiration of tax credits. The Department of Health and Human Services stated that the drop from about 22 million enrollees in 2025 to 19 million in 2026 was partly due to a crackdown on fraudulent enrollment.

The decline in ACA enrollment is impacting the viability of the program and raises questions about the future of associated public health plans. The administration's actions are occurring amid a push by advocacy groups against these healthcare cuts.