Home Affordable Care Act Topics

Affordable Care Act

About the ACA

Promotional image for KFF video How Affordable is the Affordable Care Act

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?

The ACA MarketplaceS

In Preliminary Rate Filings, ACA Marketplace Insurers Largely Propose Double-Digit Premium Increase For 2027, Following a Steep Climb This Year 

ACA Marketplace insurers are proposing a median premium increase of 14% for 2027— indicating a likely second consecutive year of double-digit increases, according to a new analysis of preliminary rate filings in 16 states and DC. If these increases hold, typical premiums for insurers participating in the ACA Marketplaces would jump by more than one-third between 2025 and 2027.

The Average Marketplace Deductible Grew by About $1,000 Per Person in 2026, With More Enrollees Shifting to Higher-Deductible Plans as Enhanced Tax Credits Expired

The average Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace deductible experienced the steepest increase in history—growing by 37% or over $1,000, from $2,759 in 2025 to $3,786 in 2026 as enhanced premium tax credits expired, according to a new KFF analysis. After the enhanced tax credits ended, many Marketplace shoppers shifted toward lower-premium, higher-deductible plans.

Latest News

More KFF Health News

Stay informed.

Get KFF's latest on the Affordable Care Act

Stay informed.

Get KFF's
latest on the Affordable
Care Act

https://js.hsforms.net/forms/embed/292449.js

View the Latest: Affordable Care Act

Filter

List Grid

1,261 - 1,270 of 2,780 Results

  • 2021 Calculator – Before COVID-19 Relief

    Interactive

    The Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator, updated with 2021 premium data, provides estimates of health insurance premiums and subsidies for people purchasing insurance on their own in health insurance exchanges (or “Marketplaces”) created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). With this calculator, you can enter your income, age, and family size to estimate your eligibility for subsidies and how much you could spend on health insurance.

  • Network Adequacy Standards and Enforcement

    Issue Brief

    Health plan networks affect patient access to care. This brief reviews options for setting and enforcing network adequacy standards and tools for making differences in plan networks more transparent.

  • Escuché que hay una nueva oportunidad de inscripción especial para las personas de muy bajos ingresos. ¿Cómo funciona?

    FAQs

    Desde el 25 de agosto de 2025, se eliminó la oportunidad de inscripción especial que permitía a las personas con ingresos iguales o inferiores al 150% del nivel federal de pobreza inscribirse en la cobertura del mercado de seguros durante todo el año, simplemente por sus bajos ingresos. Las personas con este nivel de ingresos aún podrían calificar para la inscripción especial en otros eventos de inscripción especial, como cuando pierden la cobertura por pérdida…

  • Perdí mi empleo y mi seguro de salud. ¿Puedo comprar un plan en el mercado ahora, o debo esperar a la próxima inscripción abierta?

    FAQs

    Puede aplicar ahora. CuidadoDeSalud.gov y todos los mercados estatales permiten una oportunidad de inscripción especial cuando las personas pierden otra cobertura. Esto incluye la pérdida de la cobertura basada en el trabajo y la pérdida de Medicaid. En general, tiene 60 días después de la pérdida de otra cobertura para solicitar una oportunidad de inscripción especial a través del mercado. En CuidadoDeSalud.gov y en algunos otros estados, si recibe un aviso por adelantado de la…

  • No Surprises Act Implementation: What to Expect in 2022

    Issue Brief

    The “No Surprises Act,” which establishes new federal protections against most surprise out-of-network medical bills when a patient receives out-of-network services during an emergency visit or from a provider at an in-network hospital without advance notice, will take effect next month. A new KFF brief outlines what to expect in 2022.

  • Consumer Appeal Rights in Private Health Coverage

    Issue Brief

    The Affordable Care Act (ACA) gives consumers the right to appeal private health plan claims denials and other adverse decisions, including the incorrect application of cost sharing, although limits apply. This issue brief describes consumer access to appeals and limits on appeal rights that have been adopted through federal regulations.

  • Lacking Dental Coverage, Many People on Medicare Forgo Dental Care, Especially Beneficiaries of Color

    News Release

    Many people enrolled in Medicare go without dental care, especially beneficiaries of color, according to a new KFF analysis of dental coverage and costs for people with Medicare. Almost half of all Medicare beneficiaries (47%) did not have a dental visit within the past year as of 2018, the analysis finds, with rates higher among those who are Black (68%) or Hispanic (61%) compared to White beneficiaries (42%). Rates were also higher among those who…