Data: 3 million people lost health insurance in Colorado, U.S.

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(Colorado News Connection)
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The number of people enrolled in Affordable Care Act coverage dropped by 3 million after Congress decided not to extend a program meant to help families pay for health insurance, according to new data from the Trump administration.

More challenges are expected when major Medicaid cuts under Republicans’ signature “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” take effect in January.

Adam Fox, deputy director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, said tens of thousands of Coloradans could lose access to healthcare unless new funds are generated.

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“We've already seen cuts to maternity wards in a few hospitals in rural areas,” Fox said. “I think we could see even more reduction in services, or outright closures of facilities, because of the cuts in H.R. 1.”

The Trump administration says the drop in enrollment is a result of efforts to end fraud. But according to a KFF report, people stopped enrolling when the cost of insurance rose sharply after enhanced premium tax credits expired.

During the same period, Colorado’s ACA marketplace saw an 83% increase in the number of people canceling insurance plans they could no longer afford.

Fox’s group is part of Protect Colorado’s Future, a campaign collecting signatures to make the November ballot. Initiative 195 aims to raise about $2 billion for education and health care by taxing people who make more than $500,000 a year.

“All this would do is allow us to raise revenue by ensuring the wealthiest Coloradans pay a little bit more for the services that Colorado needs,” Fox said.

If the measure is approved by voters, the top 3% of earners would see their tax rates rise from the current 4.4% to as high as 8.4% for people earning more than $1 million a year. Fox said 97% of Coloradans would see no change or have their taxes cut.

“Our state needs more resources in order to be able to protect healthcare for largely folks who are low income, older adults, people living with disabilities, families and low-wage workers,” Fox said.