RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Director of Virginia’s Affordable Care Act marketplace says around 25,000 people in Virginia have canceled their health insurance coverage purchased through the marketplace or had it terminated since open enrollment ended on January 30 -- three times the number compared to the same time last year.  “And it’s just the beginning, we’re afraid,”  said Keven Patchett, Director of Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace.  Patchett said that’s on top of the fact that 19,000 fewer Virginians enrolled in insurance through the state marketplace during open enrollment for plans in 2026 compared to 2025.  Patchett also said he expects the number of people dropping their coverage to rise -- perhaps as high as 100,000 -- in the coming months. Patchett added that the only thing that’s changed since last year is the fact that Congress failed to extend certain tax credits meant to make health insurance plans on the marketplace more affordable.  “We’re approaching, in the next month or two, the end of the 90-day payment grace period, where we expect we’ll see even more significant numbers of Virginians make the choice to go without health insurance,” Patchett told 8News.  In the General Assembly, both the House and Senate proposed budgets include money to help those struggling to afford their health insurance premiums.  ...read more read less