Overview
- Average marketplace premiums for 2026 are projected to jump roughly 26% to 30%, and employer plans are forecast to rise about 9% according to Mercer.
- Enhanced premium tax credits that lower out-of-pocket costs are set to expire Dec. 31, 2025, and the congressional standoff tied to the shutdown has left no extension in place.
- Analysts warn several million could forgo coverage if subsidies lapse, with younger adults, gig workers and many middle-income families facing the steepest increases.
- Marketplaces say they can reprogram systems and adjust if Congress restores aid later, though reduced navigator funding and timing constraints would limit how fast relief reaches consumers.
- Open enrollment is underway through Jan. 15 in most states, with a Dec. 15 deadline for Jan. 1 coverage, as state notices and local reports detail sharp price spikes from Nebraska to Texas.