Fewer Americans have signed up for health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) this year as ending subsidies and other factors drive up health care costs.[1] According to federal data from CMS, nearly 5.8 million Americans had signed up by the 29th day of the open enrollment period, up 400,000 from the same period last year but down 1.5 million from two years ago.[1] Extended subsidies for ACA plans are set to end at the end of 2025, which will likely increase insurance prices.[1] The average deductible for a bronze ACA plan, the cheapest type, rose from $7,000 in 2021 to $7,500 in 2026.[1] In total, 23.6 million consumers are registered for 2025, including 3.2 million new ones.[2] According to estimates by the Paragon Institute, 6.4 million policyholders are ineligible, an increase of more than 25% from 2024.[3] A KFF survey shows that 56% of policyholders were looking for information on insurance costs for 2026.[5]