affordable

WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance and other Trump administration officials said Tuesday they plan to remove 760,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees from public healthcare exchanges, alleging that the individuals were fraudulently enrolled in the program, or simply do not exist.

Vance said the discovery and canceled subsidy payments for hundreds of thousands of people from the exchanges would result in $2.2 billion in cost savings.

“We’re actually making sure that the people receiving Obamacare subsidies are actually entitled to receive them,” Vance, who leads a government-wide task force to eliminate fraud, said in a public address at the White House, Tuesday. He was flanked by Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and other administration officials.

The Trump administration also announced a six-month suspension on new brokers who sign up enrollees for healthcare coverage, who officials say commit a disproportionate amount of the fraud they uncovered.

Tuesday’s announcement is the latest in an administration-wide initiative to address fraud around the country, including in federal healthcare programs, which officials say is needed to rein in runaway spending and protect taxpayers.

The announcement comes as inflation and rising healthcare costs pressure the Trump administration to come up with a plan to bring down costs for Americans heading into the midterms.

The price of ACA insurance has skyrocketed for many Americans during Trump’s second term, after Republicans opposed extending COVID-era subsidies that had helped offset the costs of health insurance for most enrollees during Biden’s term.

Premiums doubled or tripled for many enrollees, prompting millions to downgrade their plans or exit the program entirely after the Republican-led Congress allowed the subsidies to expire this year.

Roughly 19.2 million Americans are actively enrolled in ACA marketplace health plans as of early 2026, according to the HHS website.

The White House referred The Associated Press to the Vice President’s team for additional comment on bigger plans to address healthcare affordability.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the news of the Trump administration’s plan to remove ACA enrollees from public exchanges.

Hussein writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Michelle Price contributed to this report.

WARM autumn weather? Tick. Big price drops? Tick. Bargain flights? Tick.

If you’re looking for a great family-friendly city break without breaking the bank, I need to sell you Porto.

We’ve visited Lisbon and the Algarve before and found them to be an affordable alternative to some of the top Spanish hotspots.

So it came as no surprise that Porto was named by the Post Office in a recent city costs barometer as the place in Western Europe with the biggest price drop in tourists costs, with costs falling by 15.5 per cent in 2025 compared to the previous year.

I was wowed by the affordable accommodation options I found for my family of five, with cheap-as-chips drinks and public transport to boot.

Two nights sleeping on a boat at the marina cost just €242 (£207), while flights can be found for as little as £18.99 each way.

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And it makes for the best bit of post-summer sunshine when temperatures are on average 23C in September, although is reaching 32C this week.

Porto is a lovely city to wander around and explore.

There’s the beautiful blue and white tiles on the churches and at Sao Bento railway station, vintage trams trundling along, a cable car to see the sights and a double decker bridge where pedestrians can cross the Douro River up high or down low.

And we weren’t forking out loads for cold drinks and ice creams when we needed a rest – glasses of wine were £2.57 (€3), a beer was £1.50 (€1.80) and ice creams were between £1.70 and £2.57 (€2-€3) a pop.

My top tip for keeping your city break in budget would be to avoid some of the expensive tourist traps that might not actually add much to your trip other than extra costs, especially if you have to pay for five people each time.

The Livraria Lello – supposed to be the most beautiful bookshop in the world – is beautiful but costs £13.70 (15.95€), working out to mor than £50 for a family of four.

My boys were just as happy to admire the lovely old fixtures and fittings in nearby shops – all for free.

An unusual spot that has won hearts recently is the McDonald’s in the former Imperial Cafe in Praça da Liberdade, reputed to be the world’s most beautiful branch of the fast food chain.

Inside you’ll find chandeliers, a striking eagle statue over the entrance and gorgeous art deco stained glass, along with your standard fast food menu.

It’s family-friendly swaps like these that can make or break your city stay.

Make sure to remember the tourist tax for adults and teens, which is £2.57 (€3) per person per night which you pay on arrival.

You can also squeeze in some beach time too.

We headed up to coastal town Viana do Castelo, which hosts one of Portugal‘s biggest festivals in mid-August, and our train fare for five of us was £57.50 (67€) return.

Porto is picture- and pocket-perfect, with laidback vibes aplenty. We could easily have spent much longer in the city, especially with its low-cost living.

Why not give it an explore this autumn?

IF you want an affordable hotel that feels way above its pay grade, you’re in luck.

Here is everything you need to know about staying at Holiday Inn Bloomsbury.

Where is the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury?

Tucked away in a quiet corner of the capital, Bloomsbury is known as a literary hub.

And the newly refurbished hotel has rooms inspired by 20th century British writers, artists and other creatives.

What are the rooms like?

There are 317 in total, each of which is fresh and bright.

I stayed in a Premium Room, which was bigger than typical London hotel rooms with enough room for a small sofa, desk and a bathroom of dreams.

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It also had little extras that make a trip special: earplugs, an eye mask and pillow spray.

I felt as though I was staying in a luxury hotel without the huge price tag. Rooms start from £199 per night for a King Premium. See ihg.com.

What is there to eat and drink there?

Dinner is served in the Artful Critic, which has a laid-back vibe and is open for food and drinks from 10am until 1am.

The menu showcases British classics: burgers, pasta, pizzas and curry plus daily specials. If you’re travelling with kids under 12, they eat free. Bonus.

Breakfast is served in a different area and as well as fruit, pastries, cold meats and cheese, there was an extensive hot selection.

There’s also an on-site Starbucks concession.

What else is at the hotel?

The hotel has an onsite gym and if you are travelling for work, the WiFi is really good.

Rare for London, there is an on-site car park.

But the hotel couldn’t be better placed for getting around London.

It is just a few steps away from Russell Square tube station and five minutes away from The British Museum.

Is it family friendly?

Kids under 17 eat and stay free. There are also family rooms where connecting rooms and cribs are available on request. 

Is there access for guests with disabilities?

For easy access there are a variety of features like wheelchair accessible rooms accompanied with grab bars, tall toilets, and handrails in bathrooms. 

SEEING the Northern Lights tops many a traveller’s bucket list.

The problem is, they can be elusive and costly to find and because they are at the whim of nature, there are never any guarantees . . . until now, that is.

There is a new Northern Lights Train in Norway which promises to take you where there’s a greater chance of spotting the Aurora Borealis than ever before. It costs £115pp and looks so good I booked a ticket.

Meeting point: Narvik Station, high in the Arctic Circle. Waiting on Platform 1 is a four-carriage train, guide Lill and buckets of white stuff. It’s been snowing non-stop from thick, heavy clouds.

Spotting the Aurora normally requires a clear sky, so these conditions are far from ideal. Do we really have a chance of seeing them? Lill consults an app and smiles. “Yes,” she says.

I’m nonetheless sceptical as I hop on board.

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My night in Arctic igloo where you can watch the Northern Lights in bed

The three-hour experience includes a 90-minute stop in the Arctic wilderness and, as the train pulls off, lights are dimmed to better see the Aurora.

After we’ve rattled past Narvik’s fjord and suspension bridge, a fellow passenger points excitedly at the window. Outside, a green plume is painting the sky.

Well I never — our first sighting.

From here, we climb north into the mountains towards the Swedish border. This historic track was built in 1902 and is still used to transport iron ore from Sweden’s Kiruna mines to the port of Narvik and beyond.

Our destination is Katterat — a remote, 373m-high (1,224ft) outpost accessible only by train or foot.

There’s no light pollution or civilisation and, thanks to its altitude, the sky is usually clear here when elsewhere else it’s not.

Once we’ve arrived and descended on to the platform, nobody budges — we’re too busy looking up.

Streaking overhead are bands of green criss-crossing a starlit sky.

Necks crane, photos are taken and the excitement is palpable. A trail leads to a makeshift camp where there are snowshoes to try, fires to warm hands and an indigenous Sami tent called a “lavvu” for shelter, with hot drinks, biscuits and sausages.

Despite the sub-zero temperatures (it’s -20C), nobody cares about warming up because we’re all too fixated on the sky show.

One moment the aurora shines to the right, the next to the left.

They come, they go; they fade, they flare; they keep us guessing, eyes peeled. It’s a magical night.

This train is one of many ways to chase the Northern Lights but there’s still magic to be found when the Green Lady plays shy.

On an excursion with Arctic Moments the next night, we sip hot chocolate and toast cinnamon buns on a fire in a Narnia wonderland.

No Aurora but happy memories with photos included in the package.

Narvik’s also a superb base for other adventures. There’s downhill skiing — it’s hosting the 2029 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships — as well as cross-country skiing, considered Norway’s national sport.

I give it a go but it’s harder than it looks — even on flat terrain.

There are also historical links. A fierce World War Two naval battle was fought and lost in Narvik in 1940 — Norway was occupied by Germany afterwards — and the town’s War Museum tells this story.

A new boat excursion even sends a drone underwater so you can see the shipwrecks on the ocean floor.

Narvik has everything from self-catering apartments to hotels offering Scandi-style breakfasts — think herring and smoked salmon — to the deluxe glass cabins of Camp 291, which cling to the mountainside.

This is my favourite accommodation, with superb fjord views.

Hiring a car allows you to explore even further. Polar Park is home to lynxes, musk oxen, moose and wolves. I’m taught how to howl and, amazingly, they howl back.

Best of all is the Arctic fox experience. You get to feed them but be prepared — they’re playful and love nothing more than clambering all over you.

For a final treat, I head to Narvik’s floating Arctic Sauna where a hole and a ladder lead directly from the heat into the chilly sea.

But the ultimate thrill is the Aurora Borealis. Travellers have been trying to find the best and most reliable way to see them.

Norway’s Northern Lights Train may just be the coolest way to do just that.

DID you know of the UK’s most affordable hotel chains was actually inspired by first class plane cabins?

Here is everything you need to know about staying at Yotel London City.

Where is the hotel?

A short walk from London Farringdon station, you couldn’t get much more central when visiting the capital.

What is the hotel like?

The modern hotel has all the trimmings – on-site restaurant, rentable umbrellas, underground gym and hundreds of rooms to choose from.

Check in whenever you get there; the lobby is 24 hours or there are self-service machines.

What are the rooms like?

Rooms are minimalist, decked out in clean white and the famous deep purple of the brand, albeit with some essentials such as large Smart TVs and hairdryers.

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The highlight is the reclining bed which goes from upright to fully reclined with the click of a button (another cheeky space saver).

Otherwise the toilet and shower are in separate smaller cubicles, kitted out with eco-friendly Urban Jungle toiletries and towels.

Forgo the room service on longer stays and you even get added discounts.

Each room comes with complimentary towels and Urban Jungle toiletries, as well as a safe and fridge, iron and hairdryer.

Rooms range from single beds for solo travellers, to 2-3 person rooms with queen beds or even bunk beds. Ask for the VIP suite to get 399sqft of space to yourself.

Rooms start from £119. See yotel.com.

What is there to eat and drink there?

The on-site restaurant Revolve has a limited, but perfect menu for food that ticks all the boxes.

I went for the classic pepperoni pizza and it came out fresh from the oven with the perfect level of charred crusts.

It’s also where you will find the bar, with a very extensive list of cocktails, wines and beers.

(I was sold by the elderflower and grapefruit Solar Boom).

If you’re short on time, there is a 24-hour Dine and Dash area with snacks and hot drinks you can buy to take with you.

What is there to do at the hotel?

Make sure to try Yotel’s Anti-Appy Hour, a collaboration with app-blocking keycard Bloom.

Sign up, tap the card on your phone and it blocks your chosen social media for one hour – the perfect time to take advantage of a now-discounted drink at the bar.

There are even postcards throughout the hotel so you can spend time writing them for your loved ones during your off-screen time.

Is the hotel family-friendly?

Cots can be requested at no extra cost, with some rooms sleeping up to three people including a bunk bed.

Is there access for guests with disabilities?

The hotel has lifts between all of the floors, as well as accessible rooms including Accessible Queen and Accessible Premium Plus.

Looking for a place to stay? For more hotel inspiration click here.

THERE’S nothing worse than a 3am alarm clock before a long flight – which is where airport hotels come in.

I stayed at the Holiday Inn at London Gatwick Airport. Here’s everything you need to know.

What is the hotel like?

A very comfortable, convenient modern hotel for those wanting to grab more sleep before a flight.

There’s a shuttle bus running every 15 to 20 minutes most of the day and every hour from midnight to 3am, providing a direct link to check terminals.

What are the rooms like?

Clean, modern rooms with more facilities than you’d expect for an overnight stay.

There’s tea and coffee, free water, a mini bar and work desk with lamp.

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The iron will ensure you’re presentable for any flight and there are also plenty of plug sockets and USB points. Room service is 24/7 too.

It took the sting out of our 6am flight and we managed to grab a few extra hours’ sleep before heading off on our trip feeling rested.

Book through Holiday Extras and with their Flextras policy, if you need to cancel or amend, you can without charge.

One night’s stay in a standard room at the Holiday Inn Gatwick is from £121 in total.

Or for one night plus four days Maple Meet & Greet parking, prices start from £244 in total. See holidayextras.com.

What is there to eat and drink there?

Great for a quick dinner before heading off for an early night, there’s a buzzy restaurant and bar.

The menu features comfort food from burgers (£18.50) and stuffed flatbreads (£12) to curries, steaks and salads.

Food arrived quickly and service was efficient and friendly. Breakfast served from 6am.

What else is there?

For those looking to drive, Holiday Extras can package up a stay at the hotel with a range of parking options from longstay to Meet and Greet.

Is it family friendly?

The hotel has connecting rooms, cribs on request and kids can eat free making this a family friendly hotel.

Is there access for guests with disabilities?

Guests can find accessible bathrooms equipped with grab bars, tall toilets, handrails, and a clear turning space for wheelchair users.

As well as easy access for wheelchairs, there are also conveniently located door locks.

EUROPEAN city breaks can easily break the bank.

One museum, two cups of coffee and a short taxi ride in Paris or Rome can have your banking app in the red before you have even considered lunch.

But, in Bulgaria’s capital, the grandest sight has a golden dome and a whole day on public transport costs a startlingly low £1.70.

Say “dobŭr den” (good day in the local lingo) to Sofia, a leafy, lively city, which is a brilliant value getaway still slipping under too many Brits’ radar.

I have been all over Europe, the US and the Gulf states and yet when it comes to the deal of the century, there is one country that stands head and shoulders above the rest — and that’s budget-friendly Bulgaria.

For proof, the latest Eurostat data showed Bulgaria has the lowest overall consumer prices in the EU, with hotels and restaurants around 48 per cent below the average.

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In short, Sofia is a city where your holiday money can stretch almost as far as the eye can see.

Do not mistake the price tag for a lack of star power, though.

The mighty Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, all green copper and glittering gold, has that wow factor.

From there, you can stroll past grand old buildings, pavement cafes and Vitosha Boulevard, which stretches toward the mountain of the same name, rising in the distance like a blockbuster backdrop.

I checked into the magnificent Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia — a luxurious 5* retreat with 400 rooms and apartments, plus an amazing spa centre, gym and four themed restaurants and a one-of-a-kind Sky Bar, overlooking the city.

All that luxury would set you back upwards of £300 in one of Europe’s big-hitting capitals like Paris. But this was less than half that cost.

As part of the hotel complex, there is also a casino, the Palms Royale, which offers classic games such as roulette, poker, blackjack and modern slot machines as well as its own 24-hour restaurant and an upmarket Asian eatery.

Casino owner Milo Borissov, who is keen to welcome more British visitors, tells me: “We attract customers from Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

“Over half are weekend tourists who come specifically for the high-class service and games that the casino offers, combined with the restaurants, and the modern hotel accommodation.”

If you are out of luck at the casino, all is not lost, for Bulgaria also has some of the lowest prices in Europe for public transport, clothing, food, alcohol (you can still find a beer for about £1.50) and tobacco.

So where should you head first? St Petka of the Saddlers is a tiny, single-nave church partly sunk into the ground beside the bigger city sights.

It is so modest you could almost miss it, but make sure you don’t.

Standing on the site of an earlier Roman religious building, it preserves murals from several centuries. Duck inside and you can swap traffic noise for candlelit calm in seconds.

After this, head towards the former Central Mineral Baths.

Bring a reusable bottle: a restored marble fountain by the baths delivers warm mineral water from the city’s historic springs.

It is the sort of pleasingly simple freebie that makes you feel you have joined the locals, not just ticked off a landmark.

For another bit of time travel, go down to the Serdika area and take a lingering look around.

Roman-era Sofia is not sealed behind a museum door here — archaeological remains including excavated streets and ancient basilicas are right in the heart of town.

The cleverest hidden stop, though, is the Eighties-style Red Flat, on Ivan Denkoglu Street.

This is not a dusty museum. It is an interactive, four-room apartment that lets visitors touch, poke about and listen their way through the everyday life of a Bulgarian family in the Communist era. It’s an educational eye-opener.

For lunch, skip the obvious international chains and go on a mini food crawl.

Browse the Women’s Market for colourful stalls of fruit and veg plus ceramics and souvenirs, then seek out a Bulgarian cafe for home-cooked delicacies, such as banistra (cheese pastry) and kyufte (spiced, grilled minced meat rolls).

Then finish off your day with a glass of local wine or coffee in one of the side streets.

In fact, why not stretch to two? With prices this low, you’d be mad not to.