ACA Marketplace Premium Payments Would More than Double on Average Next Year if Enhanced Premium Tax Credits Expire

Summary: Right now, over 24 million people get extra financial help to pay for their Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance. This extra help is called an "enhanced premium tax credit." But at the end of 2025, these extra credits are scheduled to expire.

If Congress does not renew them, the amount people pay for their health insurance will more than double in 2026. On average, costs will jump by 114%, going from $888 a year to $1,904.

Experts call this a "double whammy" for your wallet. Not only is the extra financial help going away, but insurance companies are also planning to raise their prices by 18%. On top of that, rule changes made during the Trump administration mean people will be required to spend a larger percentage of their own income on insurance.

The impact will be huge. A person making $28,000 a year could see their bill jump from $325 to $1,562. A 60-year-old couple making $85,000 could see their costs skyrocket by over $22,600 a year, meaning they would spend a full quarter of their income just on health insurance.

For more details, see KFF at kff.org/affordable-care-act/aca-marketplace-premium-payments-would-more-than-double-on-average-next-year-if-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire/ (opens in new tab)