Fri Jul 18 17:10:00 UTC 2025: **News Article:**
**ACA Marketplace Premiums Expected to Surge in 2026, Driven by Rising Healthcare Costs and Policy Uncertainty**
**Washington, D.C.** – Americans enrolled in Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans could face significant premium hikes in 2026, with early projections showing a median increase of 15% across 105 insurers in 20 markets. This marks the largest anticipated jump since 2018, when similar policy uncertainties fueled rate increases.
According to a new analysis by the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, several factors are contributing to the expected surge. As in past years, rising healthcare costs remain a primary driver. Insurers cite the increasing prices of hospitalizations, physician services, and prescription drugs, including the impact of GLP-1 medications, as well as the tight labor market in healthcare which is impacting provider contract negotiations.
However, looming policy changes are playing a significant role. The expiration of enhanced ACA tax credits at the end of 2025 is a major concern. Insurers are factoring in potential premium increases of around 4% solely due to the anticipated loss of these subsidies, which currently lower monthly payments for millions of enrollees. Without congressional action, subsidized enrollees could see their premium payments increase by over 75% in 2026. Insurers anticipate that the end of tax credits will cause healthier people to leave the marketplace, which will further drive up rates for those who remain.
Other contributing factors include the impact of tariffs on pharmaceutical costs. Although less commonly cited, some insurers quantify the impact of tariffs as causing an average premium increase of 3%.
The analysis notes that while the implementation of the Trump-era ACA integrity rule is creating uncertainty, its impact on rates doesn’t seem to be driving rates up or down at this time.
The filed rates are still preliminary and subject to change as insurers and state regulators finalize plans for the upcoming year. Finalized 2026 rate changes are expected to be published in late summer, with open enrollment beginning November 1.
The Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker analysis examined insurers in the District of Columbia and 19 states: Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, and Washington.
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