Overview
- KFF projects average benchmark premiums rising about 26% for 2026, with increases around 30% on HealthCare.gov states versus roughly 17% on state-run exchanges.
- If enhanced credits lapse, subsidized enrollees’ out-of-pocket premiums would rise about 114% on average, affecting roughly 22 million people and hitting older adults hardest, with examples of 60-year-old couples facing increases approaching $48,000 in some states.
- State exchanges are executing contingencies, with Maryland preparing state-funded aid and weeks-long recalculations and Covered California ready to reprice within about a week and notify consumers within weeks.
- Shoppers face key deadlines of Dec. 15 for Jan. 1 coverage and Jan. 15 as the final enrollment cutoff, and they can change plans during the period as some insurers and marketplaces may allow flexibility on initial premium payments.
- Experts urge consumers to shop based on sticker prices, update income and household details, avoid automatic reenrollment, and keep checking options as congressional negotiations could still alter costs.