Affordable Care Act

With the Nov. 3 election less than one month away, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro met Republican challenger Stacy Garrity for an hourlong debate Wednesday night — the only time the candidates are expected to face off in such a forum.

Thousands of Pennsylvanians dropped their health plans purchased on the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, Pennie, after the expiration of federal subsidies more than doubled monthly costs. Now, many health insurers that offer plans through Pennie are proposing rate increases for 2027.

The Scranton City Council plans to ban the sale and possession of kratom, a substance that officials portrayed Monday as increasingly addictive and potentially deadly.

February 16, 2026- Pennie enrollment drops after Affordable Care Act subsidies expire. Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan plans to send a formal letter to the governor’s office requesting a two-year moratorium on data center projects. Shapiro unveils Housing Action Plan in Philadelphia. And, a discussion about what the SAVE Act could mean for voters.

About 85,000 Pennsylvanians dropped their health insurance so far this year after the expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies that covered monthly premiums. A bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives in January to extend them by three years, but has since stalled in the Senate.

Four Republicans, including U.S. Reps. Ryan Mackenzie and Rob Bresnahan, broke from their party and signed Democrats' petition to force a vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.