Most New ACA Enrollees Face Steep Cost Jump When Subsidies Expire This Year

The vast majority of net-new ACA Exchange enrollments since 2021 have come from people eligible for zero-premium plans, according to a Department of Health and Human Services report released June 26, 2026. When enhanced premium tax credits expire at the end of 2025, these mostly lower-income enrollees will face the sharpest relative cost increase, moving from $0 monthly premiums to meaningful dollar amounts—a shock likely to trigger high churn.