ACA Subsidies: Timeline of Changes and Impact

Hear about the recent and upcoming changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace enrollment, eligibility, and subsidies. One document details a federal court’s decision on August 22, 2025, to pause several new, stricter enrollment and eligibility standards issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that were set to take effect shortly thereafter, following a lawsuit alleging improper issuance. The other source provides a timeline of subsidy changes, outlining how the original ACA rules were enhanced by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Inflation Reduction Act through 2025, but are scheduled to revert to the less generous original ACA structure in 2026 under the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) law. This reversion, coupled with tighter verification, full tax credit recapture, and narrowed eligibility for some groups, is projected to result in higher costs for many enrollees and an increase in the uninsured population.

🚫 Arkansas Bans PBMs from Owning Pharmacies

Arkansas just passed House Bill 1150, making it illegal for Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to own or hold permits for retail pharmacies in the state—starting January 1, 2026.

The law aims to eliminate conflicts of interest (think: “fox guarding the henhouse”) by stopping PBMs from controlling both drug pricing and pharmacy operations.

🧾 Key Points:

• PBMs and affiliates can’t hold pharmacy permits (including mail-order).
• Permits will be revoked or not renewed after Jan 1, 2026.
• Exceptions include:
  • Temporary 90-day permits for rare drugs (sunsets Sept 1, 2027)
  • Extensions for critical services if the pharmacy is being sold
  • In-house pharmacies serving only a company’s employees

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