The Affordable Care Act, more commonly referred to as the ACA, passed in March 2010 under the Obama administration, had three primary goals: make affordable insurance more accessible, expand Medicaid, and support innovative medical care delivery. As of early 2024, over 45 million citizens were insured through the ACA.
On September 22, 2026, the Trump administration removed approximately 750,000 people from their ACA coverage. Additionally, more verification will be performed on 419,000 members. Vice President JD Vance, acting as Chairman of the Anti-Fraud Task Force, addressed sweeping ACA removal as part of a larger initiative to eliminate administration-identified fraud. Vance claims the task force targeted profiles that did not exist and those who received subsidies that they did not qualify for. Vance stated that cuts will save 2.2 billion dollars in taxpayer dollars, but did not address the groups that lost coverage and how they will be informed.
During the Biden administration, ACA enrollment numbers drastically grew from about 11 million members to 24 million. This year, enhanced subsidies added under the Biden administration during the pandemic were set to expire. As a result, ACA enrollment already saw a 3 million decrease after premiums became significantly more expensive for those who no longer received enhanced tax credits and switched to a cheaper ACA tier or dropped entirely to shop on the marketplace. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz collaborated with Vance’s task force to enact ACA cuts. Oz claims these cuts were made to people who have never filed a claim for a doctor’s visit, filled a prescription, or responded to a government fraud investigation.
Trump has historically opposed government-assisted medical programs. In July 2026, the Trump administration ended a medicare drug subsidiary program which was introduced by the Biden administration to reduce the increasing price of prescription drugs.
The long-term impact of this is unknown, though as the cost of health insurance increases, it raises concern for those who are unable to afford it and face lower monthly payments with higher out-of-pocket expenses. The extent of fraud identified by the task force remains unconfirmed, and the ramifications of Americans turning to price-sensitive plans may present in future public health trends.
