Affordable Care Act

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?

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.

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  • Estimates: Average Monthly Premium after Tax Credit Would Be 74% Higher Under Senate Health Bill in 2020

    News Release

    A new analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that the average monthly premium for a benchmark silver plan after tax credits in 2020 would be 74 percent higher under the Senate’s Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) compared to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Overall, most marketplace enrollees would pay higher premiums under the Senate bill than current law, the analysis finds. Older and lower-income enrollees would see the biggest increases, with people age 55-64…

  • Medicaid’s Role in Nevada

    Fact Sheet

    This fact sheet provides data on Medicaid's role in Nevada. It describes how ending the enhanced match for Medicaid expansion and implementing a per capita cap or block grant would affect Nevada.

  • Data Note: Modestly Strong but Malleable Support for Single-Payer Health Care

    Feature

    The latest Kaiser Health Tracking poll finds that while there has been a modest increase in the public’s level of support for single-payer in recent years, a substantial share of the public remains opposed to such a plan, and opinions are quite malleable when presented with the types of arguments that would be likely to arise during a national debate.

  • What Are the Implications for Medicare of the American Health Care Act and the Better Care Reconciliation Act?

    Issue Brief

    This issue brief highlights a major implication of the American Health Care Act and Better Care Reconciliation Act for Medicare. Both bills would repeal the Affordable Care Act provision to increase the payroll tax on high-income earners. Repealing this surtax would move up the insolvency date of the Medicare Part A trust fund by 2 years, from 2028 to 2026, and also worsens the program's long-term financial outlook.

  • Medicaid’s Role in Ohio

    Fact Sheet

    This fact sheet provides data on Medicaid's role in Ohio. It describes how ending the enhanced match for Medicaid expansion and implementing a per capita cap or block grant would affect Ohio.

  • Growing Majority of Americans Oppose Congress’ Plan to Repeal and Replace the Affordable Care Act

    News Release

    Intensity Gap: Democrats are Twice as Enthusiastic about the ACA than Republicans are About Its Replacement Two-Thirds of Public Oppose Major Medicaid Cuts as Part of Repeal and Replace Plan As the U.S. Senate continues to debate their plan to repeal and replace the 2010 Affordable Care Act, the latest Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll finds the public souring on the effort with a growing majority opposed to the plan. This month’s poll finds 61…

  • Medicaid Changes in Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) Go Beyond ACA Repeal and Replace

    Issue Brief

    Both the Senate's Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA) and the House's American Health Care Act (AHCA) go beyond repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to make fundamental changes to Medicaid by setting a limit on federal funding through a per capita cap or block grant. The BCRA also includes additional changes that would further reduce federal spending for states with high per enrollee spending, limit state financing mechanisms, allow states…