Overview
- Benchmark exchange rates are rising by roughly 26% on average for 2026, with increases near 30% in HealthCare.gov states, while employer plans are projected to climb about 9%.
- Enhanced premium tax credits enacted in 2021 are scheduled to lapse on December 31, and the unresolved dispute over an extension is tied to the record‑long federal shutdown.
- The Congressional Budget Office estimates roughly 3.8–4 million more people would be uninsured if the enhanced credits end, and hospitals could face more uncompensated care.
- Younger adults, gig workers and many middle‑class families are seeing some of the steepest increases, with non‑Medicaid‑expansion states such as Texas reporting especially large impacts.
- Marketplace officials and analysts say late action by Congress could still lower out‑of‑pocket costs through rapid system updates, special enrollment, and targeted outreach before Dec. 15 and Jan. 15 deadlines.