After Obamacare cuts, hospitals report more uninsured patients

scienceJul 30, 202611260

Hospitals report a sharp rise in uninsured patients after congressional Republicans allowed the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credit to expire in December 2025, the New York Times reports. Emergency departments are seeing more people who lost marketplace coverage and who cannot pay their bills, and hospitals say unpaid care is weighing on finances. For-profit operator HCA said the losses of ACA marketplace plans cut its reimbursement, reduced demand for elective care, and reduced income by about $400 million in the quarter. Hospital leaders warned that the change is forcing harder collections on patients, as one hospital executive said, "We’re really crushing people who are desperately trying to pay their bills." The Times cites an overall estimate of roughly 30 million adults and children uninsured in the United States. Analysts and hospital officials say the financial squeeze could prompt hospitals to raise prices for insured patients and curb elective services as they absorb more uncompensated care.

Philip Gourevitch

@pgourevitch.bsky.social

Trump kicked millions off health insurance while failing to check inflation & hiking gas prices so uninsured forego care or end up in ERs racking up unpaid bills & hospital profits fall & they raise rates on the insured & insurers hike premiums - a hell spiral. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/30/b...

2471h ago

Matt C17

Impressive that they managed to get Obama’s name in the headline, but they don’t mention the guy that actually did the cuts

Mcnutt2

Trumps doing. It’s horrendous 😡😡

nagaswan.bsky.social1

At least it is also too expensive and risky to pursue an education to work in health care

Quoting this

Ryan Marino, MD95

Remind me again, who pays for the healthcare costs of the uninsured?

🗽LOLGOP🗽83

Closing rural hospitals to open rural concentration camps.

Miranda Yaver13

Hey, it’s almost like Medicaid and marketplace coverage losses —> hospitals’ uncompensated care —> hospital closures was a completely predictable path amid attacks on Medicaid and the ACA. Spoiler: It’s Republicans who’re getting screwed the most. thehill.com/opinion/heal...

Arrianna Marie Planey, PhD MA

@arrianna-planey.bsky.social

Losses of ACA marketplace plans following the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credit in December 2025 are "...hitting HCA’s reimbursement and reducing demand for elective care, unfavorable trends that ate into the for-profit hospital operator’s income by about $400 million in the quarter."

4Yesterday

James Myall

@jamesxmyall.bsky.social

Some observations #mepolitics - Obviously this is a Good Thing, but it's limited in scope - Maine already has $35 caps for some insured patients and a program for the uninsured - The manufacturers are already doing this voluntarily in some cases www.pressherald.com/2026/07/29/w...

619h ago

Collins Watch2

Doesn't it leave out the uninsured? Seems like the whole point of the proposal -- an errand on behalf of to sap momentum for a more comprehensive bill. #MEpolitics

Amy Fried1

Also Politico reported that it probably won't make it through the House. bsky.app/profile/asfr...

Sam Burdick1

Meanwhile… the Trump Administration just canceled Medicare Part D subsides and my grandmother’s medication for her diabetes could go up to around $1500 per month. Thanks Susan.

Timothy McBride

@mcbridetd.bsky.social

After Obamacare Cuts, Hospitals Are Treating More Uninsured Patients www.nytimes.com/2026/07/30/b...

22h ago

Mr. Dan Zak

@mrdanzak.com

“We’re really crushing people who are desperately trying to pay their bills.” www.nytimes.com/2026/07/30/b...

11h ago

Catherine

@cats75.bsky.social

Uninsured Patients Rise Sharply, Hospitals Report, Citing Obamacare Cuts www.nytimes.com/2026/07/30/b...

1h ago

Sam Litzinger

@samlitzinger.bsky.social

“Roughly 30 million adults and children in the United States are uninsured. And to offset the losses, experts predict that hospitals will raise prices for those enrolled in plans, including policies offered by employers.” www.nytimes.com/2026/07/30/b...

1h ago

Star Sawyer

@starsawyer.bsky.social

Hey guess what...Republicans don't want you to have affordable healthcare. Instead, send everyone to the ER, which are not overcrowded at all. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/30/b...

1h ago

Daniel Aldrich

@danielaldrich.bsky.social

Who could have seen this coming? More people who lost coverage after congressional Republicans ended enhanced federal subsidies are now seeking care in emergency rooms and unable to pay bills www.nytimes.com/2026/07/30/b...

1h ago

News Ticker

@headline-feed.bsky.social

[NYT] HOW THE WAR WITH IRAN IS WIDENING, AND U.S. HOSPITALS SEE A SURGE OF UNINSURED PATIENTS

2h ago

Wiener King

@wienerking.bsky.social

Blazing hot take... rural healthcare is doomed regardless of the party. Republicans speed up their death by maximizing uninsured patients while Democrats extend it out via denial of the role of Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement rates play in the death spiral of rural healthcare.

Yesterday

1 source

nytimes.comAfter Obamacare Cuts, Hospitals Are Treating More Uninsured Patients

After Obamacare cuts, hospitals report more uninsured patientsscience Study finds GOP redistricting boost drives Black voters to pollsscience Heatwaves cause almost double the excess deaths in Englandscience

After Obamacare cuts, hospitals report more uninsured patients

Related