Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
With Costs Surging And Subsidies Gone, Millions Drop Obamacare Plans
AP: Millions Drop Obamacare Health Plans After Subsidies Expire And Costs Rise
About 3 million fewer people in the United States had Affordable Care Act health insurance plans in February compared with the same time last year, according to new federal data. In the report released Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggested the 13% drop in enrollment from 22.1 million people in 2025 to 19.2 million this year could be attributed to a federal crackdown on fraudulent or “phantom” enrollment. But health analysts said it was more likely related to the Jan. 1 expiration of federal subsidies, which caused a surge in plan costs that resulted in many people being unable to pay their premiums. (Swenson, 6/27)
More about the high cost of healthcare and prescriptions —
Stat: The ERs That Can Turn Patients Away — And Are Reaping Millions
Robert Behounek walked into the Albuquerque emergency room last fall with telltale signs of a heart attack. For weeks, he’d been having trouble breathing and terrible swelling all over his body. What began as searing pain in one of his arms was now a relentless ache in his chest. The receptionist at Albuquerque ER & Hospital asked for his health insurance card, but he didn’t have insurance. She told Behounek that his visit could cost upward of $1,600. (Bannow, 6/29)
Spotlight on Maryland: Maryland’s Disability Pay Cuts Are Pushing Families To Brink
Noah Weikert can be shy when he meets new people — sometimes hiding behind his dad and grabbing his hand. But at Beans & Dreams, where he’s been working for three years, he looks people in the eye and smiles. The coffee shop, located near Frederick, employs people with developmental disabilities and has helped Weikert develop social and daily-life skills. Weikert’s sister is paid by the state to serve as a job coach as he wipes down tables and works the store register. (Conrad, 6/27)
The CT Mirror: Medicaid Costs Surged In 2024. It’s Still CT’s Cheapest Insurance
Connecticut’s Medicaid spending per enrollee jumped 14% between 2023 and 2024, nearly doubling the per-person cost growth of health expenses in the state overall, according to an April 2026 report by the state Office of Health Strategy. Despite the increase, Medicaid, known as HUSKY in Connecticut, still managed to maintain the lowest costs per enrollee of any market — even when compared to commercial insurance. (Golvala, 6/26)
CNBC: Medicare Will Soon Cover Obesity Drugs, But Many Seniors May Not Know
Millions of older Americans in Medicare are about to gain access to obesity drugs for the first time — but that landmark shift may be flying under the radar for many of them. (Constantino, 6/28)
AP: States Look To Drop Prescription Costs By Reining In Middlemen
As consumers worry about medication costs, states are trying to lower drug prices by reining in big companies that oversee prescription coverage for health insurers. Some of those companies, called pharmacy benefit managers, also own pharmacies, and one of them, CVS, has spent millions of dollars fighting the regulations. Affordability is a key issue ahead of this year’s midterm elections. Legislators in at least a dozen states passed laws this year to limit compensation to the companies, set minimum payments from the companies to pharmacists and require the companies to disclose more information to their clients, states and the public. (Hanna, 6/27)
KFF Health News: She Struggled To Get A Lifesaving Drug Even After Insurers Vowed To Help
Over four consecutive days in January, Margaret Hvatum ran a 5K, a 10K, a half-marathon, and a full marathon. The 70-year-old covered a combined distance that’s nearly equivalent to running the length of Manhattan four times. By the end of the month, she was in a hospital bed. Hvatum, a part-time computer science professor, has a weakened immune system due to a rare condition known as primary immunodeficiency, which makes it difficult for her body to fight infections. Prior to her 2005 diagnosis, she had four bouts of shingles, a painful rash caused by a virus. (Liss, 6/29)
