Overview
- Expanded premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act ended on December 31, triggering higher marketplace premiums starting January 1, 2026.
- KFF estimates that more than 20 million subsidized enrollees face average premium increases of about 114%, with examples showing annual costs rising from roughly $888 to about $1,904.
- Those most exposed include people without employer coverage—part-time workers, small‑business employees and the self‑employed—along with occupations such as farmers, musicians, real‑estate agents and certain dental and personal‑care workers.
- Analysts warn of disproportionate impacts on Black and Latino consumers, early retirees and some middle‑income households who relied on the expanded eligibility and capped premium shares.
- Open enrollment continues through January 15 in many states, but research from the Urban Institute and Commonwealth Fund projects about 4.8 million people could lose coverage in 2026 as Congress considers a January House vote with Senate approval still in doubt.