Politics

ACA Enrollees Face Premium Hikes as Subsidy Extension Stalls in Congress

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Nov 21, 2025

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Americans purchasing health insurance on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace for 2026 are confronting sharp price increases after Congress did not extend enhanced tax credits that have been in place since 2021. Insurers have raised rates, anticipating a less healthy, more costly pool of customers without the subsidies. According to the health policy organization KFF, average premiums are rising by 26%, the largest increase since 2018. The open enrollment period is underway, with a December 15 deadline for coverage beginning January 1.

Individuals across the country report facing significant financial burdens. A 56-year-old in Missouri with a recent cancer diagnosis stated her premium is set to increase from $275 to $1,250. In Tennessee, a 26-year-old said his monthly cost will jump from $15 to $550, which he noted is nearly half his income. Some enrollees have stated they will need to halt retirement contributions or use savings to cover the new costs, while others said they may have to forgo insurance entirely.

The expiring subsidies were a central point of contention during a recent 43-day government shutdown, which ended without a resolution on the matter. The agreement to reopen the government, signed by President Donald Trump, ensures only that the Senate will vote in December on a Democratic bill concerning the credits. However, there is no guarantee the bill will pass or that the House of Representatives will hold a vote on it.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated that Democrats had offered a one-year extension during the shutdown, but Republicans refused to negotiate on healthcare before the government was funded. Jeffries said that while House Republicans had indicated a willingness to address the issue after the shutdown, no such conversations with leadership have since occurred. Republicans, who hold slim majorities in both chambers, have long been critical of the ACA.

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• The party has maintained a long-standing critical stance on the ACA. The article notes that Republicans have historically been critical of the Affordable Care Act. This context frames their position on extending the enhanced tax credits, which are a key component of the law they have long opposed.

• They prioritized funding the government over negotiating on healthcare during the shutdown. During the 43-day government shutdown, the party refused to enter into negotiations on the ACA subsidy extension. Their stated precondition was that a deal to fund the government had to be reached first before other policy issues could be addressed.

• Their majority control gives them power over the legislative outcome. Holding slim majorities in both the House and Senate, Republicans effectively control the fate of any bill to extend the credits. While an agreement ensures the Senate will vote on a Democratic bill, there is no guarantee it will pass or that the Republican-controlled House will even hold a vote on the matter.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• Those buying ACA health insurance face an average premium increase of 26%, with some seeing costs rise by hundreds of dollars per month.

• Higher insurance costs may force some people to use savings, pause retirement contributions, or forgo health coverage entirely.

• The future of these healthcare subsidies remains uncertain, as a bill to extend them is not guaranteed to pass in Congress.

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