The impending end of federal subsidies on policies on the Affordable Care Act marketplace is starting to have a real impact on the choices available to Americans.
The latest state to suddenly find a shrinking in options is Wisconsin where Common Ground Health Care Cooperative is now telling customers in 11 Wisconsin counties that it will stop offering coverage from 2026.
Their customers now face a challenging search for a new insurer with options getting ever more limited.
“The biggest concern I have is that people don’t realize everyone is going to be affected. In this world, we often tend to assume that someone who doesn’t deserve something is losing something. This change, the lack of action at the Congressional level, is going to impact every kitchen table, small businesses, farmers, and retirees,” State Sen. Kristin Dassler-Alfheim told Wbay.com.
In an email to customers in the 11 affected counties, Common Ground said: “Our decision to not offer health insurance in your area next year is due to rising health care costs and unexpected shifts in the use of health services. These trends are happening in our state and across the country, making it harder for us to operate sustainably.”
Among the counties impacted are Outagamie, Winnebago, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Waupaca, and Waushara.
As well as rising healthcare costs across the board, ‘Obamacare’ customers are set to be impacted by the ‘Enhanced Premium Tax Credit’ expiring.
While Congress is being urged by many to extend the credit there has been no indication yet that the Trump administration is likely to urge such a move from its supporters in Congress.
An estimated 20 million Americans have been taking advantage of the credit as part of their ACA individual coverage.
Originally passed in 2021 by congressional Democrats backed by former President Joe Biden as part of a wide-ranging COVID-19 relief package, the subsidies were designed for people who don’t get insurance through their employer.
One alternative open to Americans are healthshare programs which, while not regulated as insurance, can offer affordable deals particularly to those in good health.