Trump HHS Moves to Shorten Obamacare Enrollment Period (1)

The Trump administration will reduce the time period during which individuals can enroll in individual health coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, according to a final rule released Friday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Rule (RIN 0938-AV61) also eliminates the ability for people with incomes below 150% of the federal poverty line to enroll monthly in ACA coverage.

The rule also revises the open enrollment period for state exchanges. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, state exchanges will have the flexibility to determine their specific open enrollment dates between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 as long as the enrollment period doesn’t exceed nine weeks.

The rule continues an effort by the first Trump administration to limit access to, and funding for ACA coverage. The number of people with ACA coverage dipped during Trump’s first term, as the administration pulled back some on premium subsidies and tried to repeal the law.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration slashed funding for the Obamacare “Navigator” program by $360 million over the next four years. The program operated a network of community-based organizations that helped enroll and educate people about ACA coverage.

The ACA currently provides either individual coverage or expanded Medicaid coverage to some 45 million Americans. The expanded coverage is a major revenue source for some health insurers, including Centene Corp. and Oscar Health Inc.

The CMS estimates the rule’s changes will lower individual health insurance premiums by about 5% on average.

By ending the ACA signup period on Dec. 31 instead of Jan. 15, and eliminating monthly enrollment opportunities, the rule aims to encourage year-round coverage and discourage people from applying when they are sick, the administration has said.

The rule is projected to save taxpayers up to $12 billion in 2026 by combating a surge of improper enrollments, reining in wasteful spending, and refocusing on making health insurance markets more affordable and sustainable, the CMS said in a news release.

“CMS is restoring integrity to ACA Exchanges by cracking down on fraud, protecting American taxpayer dollars, and ensuring coverage is there for those who truly need it,” CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz said in the release.

“This is about putting patients first, stopping exploitation of the system, and realigning the program with the values of personal responsibility and fiscal discipline,” Oz said.