OKFAHC featured in StateImpact (KGOU) article on ACA crisis

A February 19 story by StateImpact Oklahoma (KGOU) reported that nearly 50,000 fewer Oklahomans enrolled in an Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plan compared to last year, with more losses expected as premiums rise. Julie McKone, executive director of Oklahoma Families for Affordable Healthcare (OKFAHC), was featured in the article, highlighting the state’s growing health care affordability crisis.

Drawing on her efforts urging lawmakers to extend the ACA enhanced tax credits and gathering stories from Oklahomans affected by their loss, McKone said, “We know that with the tax credit issue, people are losing coverage, paying higher premiums, and may not be able to afford them, so they might forgo coverage. The fewer people enrolled in insurance, the higher premiums will be for everyone.”

She warned that as enrollment declines, premiums will rise further, compounding the problem for families statewide. McKone cited survey data showing that 72% of Oklahomans already experienced at least one health care affordability burden in the past year, and more than two-thirds delayed or skipped care because of cost. 

The report highlights the impacts on Oklahomans. For example, in Midwest City, 60-year-old small business owner Brian Black saw his Marketplace premium jump 109%, from $475 to $995 per month, after his household income exceeded eligibility limits for subsidies. Unable to absorb the increase, he left ACA coverage for a health-sharing plan — an option he acknowledges carries risk and isn’t available to everyone.

Similarly, Lauren Jenkins, CEO of Native Oklahoma Insurance in Coweta, has watched clients struggle with soaring premiums. She reports that one of the lowest-cost plans for a 60-year-old earning $70,000 now exceeds $1,000 per month. Jenkins says many consumers feel “the rug was ripped out from underneath them,” with no gradual transition to soften the financial blow.

Read the full StateImpact Oklahoma (KGOU) article:  https://www.kgou.org/health/2026-02-19/oklahomans-seek-cheaper-ways-to-pay-for-health-care-after-aca-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire

Watch the OKFAHC Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se9d2N_Wutk&t=4s

Take Action on Extending the ACA Premium Tax Credits: https://www.okfahc.com/extendpremiumtaxcredits