More than 50,000 in Mass. lose insurance plans after Congress fails to extend subsidies

Tens of thousands of Massachusetts residents no longer have health insurance after losing federal subsidies that helped them pay for coverage.

Officials from the Health Connector, the state’s insurance exchange, said Thursday that enrollment tumbled 7% over the past three months. They attributed the decline to federal policy changes that made premiums substantially more expensive for people who previously relied on aid.

Billions of dollars of federal subsidies expired at the end of 2025 because Congress didn’t act to extend them. For some individuals, this means insurance premiums doubled or even tripled.

In Massachusetts, more than 22,000 people have canceled their health coverage, which is more than twice the typical rate.

Another 35,000 people were kicked off coverage for failing to pay their bills. And that number is expected to grow, said Audrey Morse Gasteier, executive director of the Health Connector.

“We expect to see some continued loss over the next few months as people who’ve tried to hang on in their coverage fail to pay premiums they can’t afford,” Gasteier said during a Health Connector board meeting Thursday.

The Connector is an insurance marketplace that sells health plans to people who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid and do not receive coverage from an employer. Most people enrolled in Connector plans receive public subsidies.

As federal aid expired, Gov. Maura Healey increased state support for many people enrolled on the Connector, adding $250 million to pay for health care subsidies. But it wasn’t enough to help everyone losing federal support.

State health officials and advocates worry that many of the people who dropped their Connector coverage are now uninsured, which will force them to go without care, or rely more heavily on hospital emergency rooms.

“These people will be looking for care and they will be unable to pay for it,” said Jason Lefferts, the Health Connector’s senior director of external affairs.

More than 352,000 people are now enrolled in Health Connector coverage, officials said.