Affordable Care Act

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

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?

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  • How can I find out if a health plan covers the prescription drugs that I take?

    FAQs

    If your state uses HealthCare.gov, a prescription look-up tool is available when shopping for a plan that will tell you whether your health plan covers a prescription drug on its “formulary” (a list of covered drugs) and other information, such as the cost sharing structure. A similar feature may be available if your state operates its own Marketplace website. Click here to look up the Marketplace in your state. If you don’t find your drug on the…

  • I’m not sure how long ago my Medicaid ended. Is there a deadline for applying for Marketplace coverage?

    FAQs

    Yes, the special enrollment period due to loss of Medicaid or CHIP is 90 days in most states, which means consumers will have up to 90 days after loss of Medicaid or CHIP to enroll in Marketplace coverage. If you do not apply for Marketplace coverage within this timeframe, you may have to wait until the next Open Enrollment Period to enroll in Marketplace coverage. States that run their own Marketplaces can choose to extend…

  • I like my Marketplace plan just the way it is. Will it stay the same next year?

    FAQs

    It depends. Insurers are allowed to make changes to plans each year. Most likely, the premium for your current policy will change next year. There may be other changes as well such as the deductible or copays. In some cases, an insurer may stop offering a particular plan and offer you new choices, instead. Shortly before Open Enrollment begins, you should receive a notice from your insurance company describing any changes to your plan and…

  • Can I be charged more because of my age?

    FAQs

    Yes, in most states, you can be charged more based on your age, but within certain limits. For example, older adults in their sixties can be charged up to three times more than younger adults (e.g., in their early twenties). Some states have established lower limits or a complete prohibition on “age rating,” a federal policy that applies to all individual health insurance plans and those offered by fully-insured small employers, whether sold on or…

  • How can I compare covered benefits in different Marketplace plans?

    FAQs

    Although all Marketplace health plans are required to cover the ten categories of essential health benefits, insurers in many states have flexibility to modify coverage for some of the specific services within each category, subject to approval by their Marketplace. All health plans must provide consumers with a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) to make it easier to compare differences in health plan benefits and cost sharing. It is also available for each plan…

  • What health benefits do Marketplace plans cover?

    FAQs

    All qualified health plans offered in the Marketplace cover the "essential health benefits" (EHB), including: Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care you get without being admitted to a hospital) Emergency services Hospitalization Maternity and newborn care (care before and after your baby is born) Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment Prescription drugs Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices (services and devices to help people with injuries, disabilities, or chronic conditions gain…

  • Will people in hurricane- or wildfire-affected areas have more time to sign up for coverage?

    FAQs

    Yes, although the extension is not automatic. In HealthCare.gov states, you must apply for the extra time using an Exceptional Circumstances special enrollment period (SEP). You can apply for this SEP by calling the federal Marketplace call center at 1-800-318-2596. You will have to attest to residing in -- or moving from -- areas affected by a disaster event during an enrollment period you were eligible for. Affected areas are those designated by the Federal…

  • Do I have to prove eligibility for a special enrollment period?

    FAQs

    Yes, in some cases. When you apply for Marketplace coverage and qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, the Exchange may request additional documents to confirm that you qualify for coverage in your Marketplace Eligibility notice. If you apply for Marketplace coverage following loss of other coverage, HealthCare.gov will let you select a health plan but will delay the effective date of coverage while it verifies your loss of other coverage. If the Marketplace cannot automatically…

  • When can small employers enroll in coverage through the SHOP Marketplace?

    FAQs

    Small employers can buy coverage for their employees through the SHOP Marketplace at any time during the year. HealthCare.gov no longer operates a SHOP Marketplace website for small employers. However, if you want to sponsor small group coverage through the Marketplace for your employees, you can contact insurance companies directly or work with a broker who is certified to sell SHOP policies. In HealthCare.gov states, you can find a SHOP-certified broker using the Find Local Help tool. Be…

  • Who can buy coverage in the Marketplace?

    FAQs

    Most people can shop for coverage in the Marketplace. To be eligible you must live in the state where your Marketplace is, you must be a citizen of the U.S. or be lawfully present in the U.S., you must not currently be incarcerated, and you cannot currently be enrolled in Medicare. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is no longer considered an eligible immigration status for health coverage through the Marketplaces. Not everybody who is…