Ohio Leads Nation in ACA Healthcare Coverage Drop, Sparking Political Debate
Ohio has experienced the highest percentage drop in Affordable Care Act (ACA) healthcare coverage in the nation, with enrollment falling over 32% from February 2025 to February 2026. This decline has left 160,000 Ohioans without coverage, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. The loss of advanced premium tax credits, which were not extended in the Republican-backed One Big Beautiful Bill, has been a significant factor in the increased premiums and subsequent drop in enrollment. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Sherrod Brown has criticized his opponent, U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, for his votes that allegedly increased healthcare premiums. Husted, however, argues that other factors contributed to the premium hikes and has proposed a bill to extend ACA subsidies, which was blocked by Senate Democrats.