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The ACA MarketplaceS

Change in February effectuated enrollment, by state, 2025-2026

How Has ACA Marketplace Enrollment Changed Across States in 2026?

ACA Marketplace enrollment fell this year in every state except New Mexico, which was the only state to fully replace the enhanced premium tax credits that expired last year with a state-funded subsidy, according to a new KFF analysis of effectuated enrollment data. The Marketplace enrollment decline—the first in seven years—follows several years of rapid enrollment growth and coincides with the end of the enhanced federal subsidies.

How Much and Why ACA Marketplace Premiums Are Going Up in 2027

ACA Marketplaces insurers are proposing a median premium increase of 15% in 2027, according to KFF’s updated analysis of 276 insurers with publicly available filings across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This is the second consecutive year of double-digit premium hikes. Last year’s median nationwide proposed rate change was 18%, and the median finalized rate change was 20%. While this proposed rate change is lower than last year, it represents the second-highest requested rate change since 2018, as premium growth had been relatively flat in this market for several years.

About the ACA

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Did the Affordable Care Act Make Health Care More Affordable?

The expiration of the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits at the start of 2026, combined with rising insurer premiums, put a spotlight on health care affordability that extends beyond Marketplace enrollees. KFF’s Cynthia Cox examines the ACA’s record and the broader underlying question it raises: what’s a fair price for Americans people to pay for health care?

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  • Briefing on State Medicaid Programs, the Recession and Health Reform

    Event Date:
    Event

    The Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU) held a 9:30 a.m. ET briefing on Thursday, September 30 to examine the challenges facing states as they continue to struggle with the lingering impacts of the recession and begin preparing to implement health reform. Three reports were released at the event: Hoping for Economic Recovery, Preparing for Reform: A Look at Medicaid Spending, Coverage and Policy Trends: Results from a 50-State Medicaid Budget…

  • The New Health Reform Law and Medicaid

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    Event

    This briefing, cosponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform and the Kaiser Family Foundation, explores the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (HCERA). A panel of experts explain how PPACA and HCERA affect Medicaid, and answer questions about their Medicaid-specific provisions, including Medicaid eligibility, financing, and other implementation issues. For more information, please visit Alliance's event page. Full Video   Speakers…

  • Rising Health Pressures in an Economic Recession

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    Event

    As millions of people lose their jobs and job-based health insurance during the recession, the Kaiser Family Foundation has several reports and a video that shed light on the rising toll on American families and the public programs that many depend on to fill the gap during times of crisis. Rising Health Pressures in an Economic Recession: A 360-Degree Look at Four Communities, and a companion video, On the Edge: Health Care in the Recession…

  • New Analysis Shows Effect of Rising Unemployment on Health Coverage, Medicaid and SCHIP Spending and Enrollment

    Event

    As the country faces another economic downturn, many states are scrambling to deal with the impact of poor economic conditions on programs, like Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), that are reliant on state funding. To be better able to cope, states are looking for fiscal relief from the federal government as well as obtaining a moratorium on federal regulations that would reduce Medicaid funding for states from the Congress. New analyses…

  • Oral Health: Putting Teeth into the Health Care System

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    Event

    The Alliance for Health Reform and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation sponsored an August 17 briefing to discuss oral health coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). While PPACA ensures dental coverage for children, challenges remain to improve dental health access and coverage for adults. Speakers will explore such questions as: With 15 percent of the U.S. population living in dental “Health Professional Shortage Areas,” how can dental workforce shortages be addressed?…

  • Medicaid and CHIP Coverage In An Era of Recession and Health Reform

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    Event

    Despite tight budgets, nearly all states maintained or made targeted expansions or improvements in their Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) eligibility and enrollment rules in 2010, preserving the programs’ important role of providing coverage to millions of low-income Americans who otherwise lack affordable options. This stability in large part reflects the temporary fiscal relief for Medicaid provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) that was tied to requirements for…

  • Who is eligible for Marketplace premium tax credits?

    FAQs

    Premium tax credits are available to U.S. citizens and certain lawfully present immigrants who purchase coverage in the Marketplace and who have income at least as high as 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL) ($15,650 for a single adult or $32,150 for a family of four in 2026). In the past, lawfully present immigrants who made less than 100% of the federal poverty level could also receive help paying premiums and cost-sharing for coverage…

  • I heard that there have been changes to Marketplace premium tax credits and other Marketplace rules. How could these changes affect me?

    FAQs

    This FAQ was updated on January 14, 2026, to reflect the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits. The premium tax credit enhancements that began in 2021 expired at the end of 2025 and have not been renewed by Congress. This means that many Marketplace enrollees eligible for premium tax credits will receive less financial assistance, and the amount they have to pay in monthly premiums has increased. Other Marketplace enrollees may no longer be…

  • What happens if I want to quit a Marketplace health plan during the year?

    FAQs

    It is important that you contact both the Marketplace and the health plan and let them know you no longer need coverage. Click here for details on how to terminate Marketplace coverage if you live in a HealthCare.gov state. State-based Marketplaces may have their own process for terminating coverage. Check with your state-based Marketplace for more information if you live in one of these states. Do not simply stop paying the premium for your Marketplace health plan…

  • Which states offer additional financial assistance for Marketplace plans?

    FAQs

    Ten states currently provide eligible residents subsidies in addition to what the federal government provides for their Marketplace plans: • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Maryland • Massachusetts • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • Vermont • Washington Check these state Marketplaces for more information. Click here for links to each state's website.