Florida lost 442,785 ACA enrollees after subsidies ended; insurers seek 2027 hikes

Florida has more people on Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans than any other state. It also lost the most after the extra federal help with premiums ran out. An Associated Press analysis of federal data found 442,785 Floridians with ACA coverage in 2025 were uninsured in 2026, a 10.3% drop in enrollment ¹.

The ACA is often called Obamacare. Its marketplace sells private health plans, and "enhanced" premium tax credits had lowered what many people paid each month. Those credits expired, and a Florida Phoenix report said the subsidies were central to a partisan impasse last year that led to a government shutdown ¹.

Pain at the kitchen table

A Jacksonville insurance agent told News4JAX that some customers who once paid nothing now pay two or three hundred dollars a month for their plan ². The station reported that some families face premiums hundreds of dollars higher, even when they keep the same plan ².

For people in their late 50s and early 60s who are not yet on Medicare, that kind of jump can be hard to absorb on a fixed income. Many drop coverage or switch to plans with higher deductibles. The agent warned that going without coverage is risky because an unexpected illness can bring large bills ².

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More increases proposed for 2027

Twelve insurers have filed proposed 2027 rate increases in Florida, according to data from KFF, a health policy research group. AmeriHealth Caritas Florida asked for the largest, 39.14%. Centene Venture Co. Florida asked for the smallest, 3.87% ¹.

Those rates are proposed, not final. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation must review and approve them ¹. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida is returning for 2027 after sitting out this year, while several other insurers appear to be leaving the market ¹.

Open enrollment for 2027 coverage begins Nov. 1 ¹². That is two days before the vote this Tuesday, Nov. 3. Reports differ on the closing date, so check HealthCare.gov for the deadline ¹².

The politics

State Rep. Angie Nixon, the Democratic Senate nominee, is criticizing Republican Sens. Ashley Moody and Rick Scott for letting the enhanced credits expire ¹. WDBO reported that both senators voted against "a three-year extension of the Affordable Care Act health care tax credits last December" ³.

Nixon told WDBO: "At the end of the day, people are hurting." She said people are "going bankrupt simply because they're trying to stay alive" ³.

That matters because Florida's ACA market is the nation's largest, so changes here reach a lot of households. The reports do not measure how much the issue will move votes. We did not find a response from Moody on the vote in the pages we read.

The Record

1. Aug 31, 2026News4JAX reported about 440,000 Floridians dropped ACA plans, citing an AP analysis ².
2. Sep 10, 2026Florida Phoenix reported 12 insurers filed proposed 2027 rate increases, up to 39.14% ¹.
3. Nov 1, 2026Open enrollment for 2027 ACA coverage begins ¹².

Sources

1. Florida Phoenix (via Florida Trend), “Up, up, and away: Are double-digit health insurance rate increases ahead?” (2026-09-10). floridatrend.com/articles/2026/09/15/up-up-away-are-double-d
2. WJXT News4JAX, “440,000 Floridians drop ACA plans after federal subsidies expire” (2026-08-31). news4jax.com/news/florida/2026/08/31/440000-floridians-drop-
3. WDBO, “'Everybody is just tired': Rep. Angie Nixon on Orlando's Morning News with Scott Anez” (2026-10-14). wdbo.com/news/local/everybody-is-just-tired-rep-angie-nixon-

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