According to new federal data, Obamacare enrollment dropped dramatically in many states over the past year. The data reveals that states such as Ohio and Oklahoma saw a significant decline in enrollment, with each losing nearly one-third of their enrollees. The decline in enrollment is attributed to the expiration of enhanced subsidies, which caused many Americans’ monthly health insurance fees to double or triple.

State-Level Data

The data provides a complete 50-state breakdown of the sharp enrollment declines following the January expiration of enhanced subsidies. It shows that around 2.6 million fewer Americans have Obamacare plans in February compared to the same time last year. The data also captures the number of people who paid their first monthly premiums to keep coverage.

Healthcare affordability is a central issue to voters, and the decline in enrollment is likely to have a significant impact on the upcoming elections. The data does not show whether people who dropped Obamacare health insurance this year found coverage elsewhere, but chances are some of them became insured through employer plans or other options.

Some of the states that saw the largest enrollment declines were the same ones that saw the biggest enrollment gains after the federal government introduced enhanced subsidies during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is not surprising, as those states likely had large numbers of people who enrolled only because the enhanced subsidies made coverage much more affordable.

New Mexico was the only state to see an increase in its covered population, gaining some 14% more enrollees in the government health insurance program compared to the same time last year. This is because the state fully replaced the lost federal subsidies using its own funds.

Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.