BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — More than 94,000 fewer Alabamians are enrolled in Affordable Care Act coverage compared with last year, a sharp drop that health advocates tie to the expiration of federal subsidies and rank among the steepest declines in the nation.
The loss of coverage comes as the Trump administration and Republican Congress allowed the enhanced premium tax credits, expanded during the pandemic and extended through 2025, to expire at the end of last year. Without those credits, marketplace premiums in Alabama jumped by double digits, and analysts warned that as many as 130,000 residents could ultimately lose coverage.
“More than 94,000 fewer Alabamians enrolled in health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act in February of this year,” according to reporting by The Associated Press, with advocates warning of increased emergency room use as more people go uninsured. Mary Elizabeth Marr, CEO of Thrive Alabama, tied the drop to the subsidy expiration and the state’s decision not to expand Medicaid, saying the loss of ACA subsidies has driven a 50% to 100% increase in the cost of health insurance this year…