Overview
- CMS posted 2026 Affordable Care Act plan data on HealthCare.gov and opened window shopping before enrollment begins Nov. 1, saying low-premium options remain available after tax credits.
- KFF estimates average marketplace premiums will rise about 26% next year, roughly 30% in states using HealthCare.gov and 17% on state-run exchanges, based on finalized filings.
- If enhanced subsidies expire on Dec. 31, KFF projects subsidized enrollees’ monthly payments will jump about 114% on average, and CBO estimates millions could lose coverage in the following years.
- State actions are locking in increases, with North Carolina approving nearly 30% average hikes for 2026, while heavy-marketplace states like Florida—where 4.7 million are enrolled and 98% receive subsidies—face outsized exposure.
- Reduced federal navigator funding and insurer pricing that assumed a subsidy lapse raise the risk of consumer confusion and delays reprogramming rates even if Congress strikes a late extension.