CMS Ends ACA Subsidies for 189,000 Duplicate, Deceased Enrollees
CMS ended federal marketplace subsidies in 2026 for 189,000 people found to have duplicate coverage through Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP, or who were deceased, HHS announced October 14. Medicaid overlap accounted for the largest share at about 120,000 cases, down from roughly 551,000 in 2025 but still above the historical baseline of about 55,000. Affected enrollees get 30 days to dispute the match before subsidies are terminated; those who do not respond default to Medicaid. CMS also reported finding about 1.2 million people per month who appear enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP in more than one state, and said states will be required starting in January to regularly verify enrollee addresses, alongside a new national system for monthly cross-state enrollment checks.