CMS says it reviewed and confirmed some 315,000 federal Marketplace enrollments as unauthorized and cancelled them on August 31, 2026. More than 760,000 people were covered by those enrollments. The agency has not published how many cases fell into which category. The difference between an unauthorized enrollment, an ineligible enrollee and a dishonest broker is the difference between three entirely different stories.
What the record shows
Primary recordCMS cancelled approximately 315,000 enrollments covering more than 760,000 people after it and health insurers reviewed and confirmed them as unauthorized under CMS's existing unauthorized-enrollment process (CMS fact sheet). The action covers the federally facilitated Marketplace and state-based exchanges that use the federal platform. CMS announced the action publicly on September 22, 2026, and estimates that about $2.2 billion in advance premium tax credits will be returned (Healthcare Finance News).
By interim final rule, CMS also imposed a moratorium on new 2027 agent and broker registrations for individuals without a 2026 Exchange agreement, running until February 1, 2027, unless it is lifted, extended or modified (America's Essential Hospitals). As reported, the rule took effect September 22 and is open for public comment until November 21, 2026 (Medical Daily). Reported operational changes include identity re-proofing of existing agents and brokers, required Social Security or immigration document numbers on broker-assisted applications, and electronic consumer authorization before a broker can act on an application (Missouri Hospital Association).
What the record does not show
CMS has not published a breakdown of the cancelled enrollments by cause. One trade summary has described the affected people as lacking verified citizenship or immigration documents. That characterization does not appear in CMS's own fact sheet, and this site does not adopt it.
AnalysisIn Marketplace practice, "unauthorized" has usually meant enrollment without the consumer's consent, often by a broker chasing commissions. Some of the 760,000 people affected may therefore be victims of the conduct being corrected rather than its authors. Until CMS publishes the composition of the cancellations, the accurate description is an enforcement action of large scale and unpublished composition.
How this site describes it
| Phrase | Supported by the record? |
|---|---|
| "Unauthorized enrollments, as determined by CMS" | Yes |
| "Cancelled," and "$2.2 billion in tax credits to be returned (CMS estimate)" | Yes |
| "Fraud," applied to every enrollment, enrollee or broker | No. An administrative finding is not an adjudicated finding of fraud |
| "Ineligible immigrants" or similar | No. Not established in the CMS fact sheet |
| "Broker fraud ring" | No, unless and until charges are filed |
What to do
- Log in to HealthCare.gov directly, not through a link in a message, and confirm your plan, your household members and any agent or broker listed on your account.
- If your coverage was cancelled and you did not authorize the original enrollment, call the Marketplace call center and keep a record of the call.
- Open enrollment for 2027 Marketplace coverage begins November 1, 2026. Covered California runs its own open enrollment beginning the same day.