Tue Nov 04 01:30:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summarized news article based on the provided text:

Obamacare Premiums Set to Surge as Subsidies Expire; Millions Face Higher Costs

Washington D.C. – Americans purchasing health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces are facing the prospect of significantly higher premiums in 2026 as enhanced subsidies enacted during the pandemic are set to expire. The Trump administration has released a preview of 2026 plan prices on healthcare.gov, revealing that insurers have raised rates by an average of 30% in states using the federal exchange and 17% in states with their own exchanges, according to a KFF analysis.

The most significant impact will be felt by over 20 million Americans who currently rely on subsidies to offset the cost of their insurance. The enhanced subsidies, which made coverage free for many lower-income individuals and provided assistance to higher-earning individuals for the first time, are due to end this year unless Congress acts. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that expiring subsidies will add two million more people to that total next year, and other analyses have estimated even larger reductions in coverage.

The looming expiration has become a key point of contention in the ongoing government shutdown, with Democrats demanding an extension of the subsidies as a condition of reopening the government. Republicans have so far refused to negotiate.

While many customers will still qualify for some level of federal help, it will be at the lower level established under the original ACA. CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz downplayed the impact. Despite the CMS’s optimism, analysts and consumers express concern.

Consumers will begin selecting their plans for next year on Saturday, November 1st and are urged to sign up despite the initial sticker shock, as there is still a chance Congress could extend the subsidies. However, without congressional action, millions of Americans, particularly those with incomes just above the subsidy limits, could face unaffordable premium increases, potentially forcing them to forgo coverage.

Rising healthcare costs, including drug prices and hospital expenses, are also contributing to the premium increases, insurers have noted.

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