Chicago – May 29, 2026
More Americans are dropping out or being kicked off Obamacare health insurance for non-payment than in past years, according to data through April from half a dozen states that sell the plans themselves.
The cancellations are posing a political liability for President Donald Trump and the Republican party ahead of November midterm elections expected to turn on affordability.
Kentucky and Idaho particularly stand out. In Kentucky, three times the number of people canceled or were dropped from their coverage, while in Idaho enrollment shrank by 24,402 compared to a loss of 15,866 members during the same time frame a year earlier.
By comparison, in California cancellations rose 6%.
About 23 million people signed up for or were automatically reenrolled in 2026 health insurance plans created by President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, a decline of 5% from last year. The decline was largely due to the end of extra subsidies created during the COVID-19 pandemic to help people keep their coverage.
