Washington D.C. -- September 22, 2026: The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it removed approximately 760,000 individuals from Affordable Care Act (ACA) health plans, asserting without presenting specific case evidence that the accounts are fraudulent, unauthorized, or belong to people who do not exist.
Speaking at a White House press briefing, Vice President JD Vance—joined by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and federal regulators—stated that the government is terminating roughly 315,000 policies covering 760,000 enrollees as part of an administration-wide anti-fraud initiative.
The Administration's Claims: Officials stated that ending advance premium tax credits for these accounts will generate an estimated $2.2 billion in taxpayer savings. Vance said an additional 419,000 enrollments have been flagged and will undergo verification before remaining in the exchange.
Absence of Specific Evidence: The White House and CMS provided no documentation, case audits, or evidence substantiating how many of the 760,000 are actual bad actors rather than legitimate enrollees caught in bureaucratic data mismatches. Officials did not provide proof to support the claim that individuals on the list "do not exist".
Automated Screening and Missing Information: Officials indicated that policies were targeted because submitted applications lacked required information, such as unverified documentation or missing Social Security numbers. Healthcare policy analysts note that administrative flags and automated sweeps often capture clerical errors made by third parties or unreturned mail notices rather than intentional deception.
Sanctions on Third-Party Brokers: CMS announced actions against insurance agents and brokers, stating that over 500 brokers have been warned or faced action for submitting unauthorized applications or incomplete forms. The administration also issued a six-month moratorium barring new agents and brokers from registering to enroll people on the federal exchange.
Industry and Lawmaker Pushback: Insurance agent associations criticized the blanket broker freeze, arguing it penalizes legitimate professionals instead of focusing strictly on individual violators. Congressional Democrats condemned the purge, warning that using administrative hurdles to cancel policies risks stripping necessary medical coverage from lower-income Americans who legally qualify for care.
How to Check Your Coverage: Consumers who enrolled through the federal exchange can verify their policy status, check for unread eligibility notices, or submit requested verification paperwork by logging in at HealthCare.gov. Enrollees who live in states operating their own independent marketplace platforms must verify their accounts directly through their specific state exchange website. Consumers can also call the federal Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325) for immediate assistance.
The announcement comes as roughly 19.2 million Americans remain enrolled in ACA marketplaces nationwide, amid ongoing debate over healthcare costs following the expiration of pandemic-era enhanced federal subsidies.