Consumers Brace for Massive 75% Jump in ACA Health Insurance Premiums for 2026

Health insurance premiums for plans purchased through Healthcare.gov and state-based marketplaces are projected to skyrocket by an average of 75% next year, according to a new analysis by KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research group. The alarming increase comes as insurers finalize their rates for January 2026, largely attributing the surge to the anticipated expiration of enhanced premium tax credits.

These enhanced subsidies, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, significantly lowered out-of-pocket costs for millions of Americans, driving record enrollment in Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans to 24 million. However, with their impending cessation, consumers who currently pay, for instance, $60 a month could see their premiums jump to $105 or more. Experts warn this could lead to a substantial increase in the uninsured population, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating 4.2 million to 8.2 million people could lose coverage.

Insurance companies, in their rate filings, are increasingly citing the loss of federal support as the primary driver for higher premiums, rather than traditional factors like drug or hospital costs. They anticipate a sicker risk pool as healthier individuals, unwilling to pay the inflated prices, opt out of coverage, leaving a higher concentration of those with chronic conditions or expensive medical needs.

Despite the potential for widespread coverage loss, an extension of these enhanced subsidies appears unlikely. Republican lawmakers and the Trump administration have historically opposed such measures, with the Republican Study Committee’s 2025 fiscal budget criticizing them as perpetuating rising premiums and federal bailouts. This political stance leaves millions of ACA enrollees facing significantly higher healthcare costs in the coming year.

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