More Than 92,000 Illinoisans Lose ACA Coverage as Premium Costs Rise (Springfield, IL) – More than 92,000 Illinois residents lost or dropped their Affordable Care Act health insurance coverage in recent months, marking the largest decline in marketplace enrollment in nearly a decade, according to state officials and reporting highlighted by the Democratic Party of Illinois.
The loss of coverage follows the expiration of enhanced federal tax credits that had helped reduce insurance costs for many consumers. According to data cited by Get Covered Illinois, 92,871 Illinoisans left the marketplace, with 64% disenrolling because they could not keep up with premium payments and another 28% canceling coverage after seeing higher costs.
The sharp decline reflects a broader national trend as consumers face increasing health insurance expenses and the end of temporary financial assistance programs.
“Morgan Winters, director of Get Covered Illinois, said it’s the largest drop we’ve seen in the state for almost a decade,” according to reporting by the Chicago Tribune.
State officials reported that Illinois consumers enrolled through the health insurance marketplace are paying an average monthly premium of $328 per household in 2026, up from $260 the previous year.
Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez criticized Republicans and President Donald Trump over the coverage losses, arguing that the expiration of the tax credits has made health care less affordable for working families.
“Donald Trump campaigned on lowering costs on Day One,” Hernandez said in a statement. “There is nothing affordable about children missing routine checkups, seniors not having access to lifesaving medications, and families being forced to drop their insurance because they can’t keep up with rising bills.”
Health care advocates say rising insurance costs are a major factor behind the enrollment decline.
“It’s not surprising that many people lost or dropped their exchange plans, given the higher costs of insurance, the expiration of the enhanced subsidies and that other types of goods have also become more expensive,” Stephanie Altman, counsel with the Legal Council for Health Justice, told the Tribune.
The enrollment drop comes as policymakers continue debating the future of health care affordability and insurance subsidies, with advocates warning that additional coverage losses could occur if costs continue to rise.
More Than 92,000 Illinoisans Lose ACA Coverage as Premium Costs Rise
