Overview
- Millions of marketplace enrollees saw premiums jump on Jan. 1 after the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits lapsed, with analyses estimating costs will roughly double for many who had received the extra help.
- Local assistance centers report immediate surges in demand, with a Fort Pierce, Florida, office adding staff as clients confront plan downgrades and higher copays, including primary care visits rising from $0 to $50.
- Hospitals warn of rising uncompensated care and ER crowding, and the Florida Hospital Association says nearly one million state residents could lose access to affordable coverage.
- The lapse revives the subsidy cliff, exposing households near roughly 400% of the federal poverty line ($62,600 for a single person and $128,600 for a family of four in 2026) to potential repayment of advanced credits and large 2027 tax bills.
- House leaders plan a vote on a three‑year extension of the enhanced credits, but the path forward in the Senate is unclear as patients and families already adjust coverage or forgo care.