CMS Open-Enrollment Plan Selections Fell in Rural and Exurban Texas Even as Statewide Selections Rose — Bastrop Down 17%, Caldwell Down 10%

The Daily Yonder's analysis of CMS 2026 open-enrollment files reports that plan selections rose about 5% statewide while falling more than 3% across rural Texas counties and about 5% across its defined exurban group. It reports a greater-than-17% decline in Bastrop County and a 10% decline in Caldwell County alongside higher average net premiums.

These are open-enrollment plan-selection aggregates, not February effectuated coverage, current eligibility, a confirmed uninsured count, or proof of demand transferred to a particular FQHC. Rural access and finance teams should label the measure and period, compare it with their own approved aggregate payer data, and route individual coverage questions to official channels without placing applications, notices, financial records, or patient data in FQHC Talent.