By Associated Press’s Amanda Sietz
Washington (AP) Democratic mayors nationwide are suing the Trump administration for new regulations that offer millions of people less time to enroll in the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance.
The regulations, which went into effect last month, undo a Biden-era attempt to increase access to health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare or the ACA. Record enrollment resulted from the previous Democratic administration’s expansion of the coverage enrollment window.
Late last month, as Congress was considering a significant bill that would reduce enrollment in Obamacare, the health insurance program that Republican President Donald Trump has long derided, the Department of Health and Human Services announced a number of new restrictions. The health department’s new regulations are predicted to result in up to 2 million people—nearly 10%—losing their coverage.
The mayors of Columbus, Ohio, Baltimore, and Chicago filed lawsuits against the federal health department on Tuesday, claiming the regulations will put an excessive strain on city services and increase the number of uninsured citizens.
The filing claims that under the guise of government efficiency and fraud prevention, the 2025 Rule increases the number of Americans who lack or have inadequate insurance, thereby defeating the goal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was to provide all Americans with affordable health coverage.
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The case was joined by two liberal advocacy groups, Main Street Alliance and Doctors for America.
Late last month, the federal health department announced a number of adjustments to the Affordable Care Act. The federal marketplace’s enrollment period will be shortened by one month, from November 1 to December 15, 2026. Some persons who automatically re-enroll in a free plan will be subject to more strict income verification checks and a $5 cost.
People who have not paid their payments on previous plans will also be entitled to have their coverage denied by insurers. Additionally, around 100,000 immigrants who were brought to the United States as minors are prohibited from enrolling in the coverage by the guidelines.
In a statement, HHS stated that the policies are short-term steps to curb fraudulent enrollments and illegal use of government funds right now.
The Democratic mayors contend that there was insufficient time for the public to comment on the policies before they were introduced.
Millions of Americans will see their health insurance premiums increase as a result of this illegal rule. According to Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward, the group representing the plaintiff coalition in the case, this does not benefit people and instead jeopardizes the health and safety of Americans nationwide.
The Trump administration’s ban on foreigners enrolling in the program is not contested in the case.
Thanks to the large tax cuts provided by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, a record 24 million individuals signed up for Obamacare, which the Biden administration viewed as a major triumph of the Democratic president’s tenure.
However, Trump has criticized the program, claiming it has numerous issues that prevent many people without significant subsidies from affording the coverage. His first time in office saw a decline in program enrollment.
