Federal Judge Blocks Eight Provisions of Trump's ACA Marketplace Rule

On July 16, 2026, U.S. District Judge Brendan Hurson in Maryland stayed eight provisions of a Trump administration rule that would have reshaped Affordable Care Act marketplaces, days before the changes were set to take effect on July 20. The rule, finalized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this spring, would have expanded bare-bones catastrophic plans, tightened income-verification requirements, raised out-of-pocket maximums for bronze plans, and narrowed special enrollment periods. CMS projected up to 2 million people could lose coverage under the changes.

The suit was brought by the cities of Baltimore, Chicago, and Columbus, Ohio, along with Pima County, Arizona, and the groups Doctors for America and Main Street Alliance, which argued CMS exceeded its authority under the Administrative Procedure Act and the ACA. The ruling is the latest of several court decisions questioning the administration's efforts to remake the exchanges; the same judge stayed and later vacated similar provisions in a 2025 rule.

Hurson found the plaintiffs likely to succeed on the merits and paused the provisions while the case proceeds. Analysts expect HHS and CMS to appeal.