Arizona sees fewer ACA enrollees in 2026

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - About 70,000 fewer Arizonans signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act this year than last year, following the expiration of enhanced tax credits at the end of 2025.

Open enrollment for the ACA ended Jan. 15.

According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 353,000 Arizonans enrolled in 2026 ACA insurance plans, down from 423,000 last year.

The decrease comes after Congress failed to extend tax credits that expired at the end of 2025, leading to steep premium increases for many enrollees.

Theresa Guerrero, who has been enrolled in an ACA plan since 2020, said her monthly payment jumped from just over $19 per month last year to $290 per month this year.

“Yeah, the first time I paid, I’m like, ‘Is this real? Is this a joke?” Guerrero said. “I’ve been on this plan since 2020, and for me to see this, it was – it’s outrageous.”

Dr. Daniel Derksen, director of the University of Arizona Center of Rural Health, said the enrollment decrease is directly tied to rising premiums.

“Most of the decrease in enrollment is just people can’t afford the premiums without that advanced premium tax credit in place,” Derksen said.

Derksen said he expects enrollment numbers to continue declining unless Congress approves an extension soon.

“I suspect that as we get into the months where people are having to pay sometimes double and triple the out-of-pocket expenses and the premiums, then we’ll lose more of those and as many as 150,000 Arizonans may drop their coverage because they can no longer afford it,” he said.

Derksen said an increase in uninsured Arizonans could become dangerous for public health.

“They put off getting primary care, preventive services, things like that, which is unfortunate because down the road, you can prevent many of the things that result in people needing surgeries or hospitalizations or treatment,” he said.

For those who chose to re-enroll, the choice is between paying higher monthly premiums or selecting plans with higher deductibles while waiting to see if Congress extends the enhanced premium tax credits.

“You’re just kind of in a limbo, you’re just waiting to see, and it’s really hard, it’s really hard to pay that payment every month, and just you don’t know what’s happening, and it’s not in our hands, I mean, we’re just waiting to see what’s gonna happen,” Guerrero said.

The House passed a three-year renewal of the tax credits earlier this month, sending the legislation to the Senate, where lawmakers are still deciding its fate.

This article was originally published on KOLD