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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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  • ¿Qué pasa si termino necesitando atención de un doctor que está fuera de la red de mi plan?

    FAQs

    Los planes no están obligados a cubrir la atención recibida de un proveedor que no pertenece a la red, aunque algunos planes del mercado lo hacen, al menos en cierta medida. Si recibe atención fuera de la red, podría ser costoso para usted. En general, los planes que brindan una opción fuera de la red cubren dicha atención a una tasa más baja (por ejemplo, se puede reembolsar el 80% de los costos dentro de…

  • ¿Cómo funciona el período especial de inscripción para un “nuevo dependiente”?

    FAQs

    Cuando tiene un bebé -o cuando adopta un niño, o un niño está con usted por adopción o en cuidado temporal, o si ha obtenido la custodia a través de una orden judicial- usted puede calificar para un período especial de inscripción (SEP, por sus siglas en inglés) para un nuevo dependiente. Usted y los niños a su cargo pueden inscribirse a través del mercado de seguros. El SEP para un nuevo dependiente dura 60…

  • ¿Cómo funciona el período especial de inscripción por “matrimonio”?

    FAQs

    Cuando usted se casa, puede calificar para un período especial de inscripción (SEP, por sus siglas en inglés). Usted y su cónyuge pueden inscribirse para obtener cobertura en el mercado de seguros.El período especial de inscripción dura 60 días desde la fecha de la boda. Si usted se inscribe para obtener seguro a través de un SEP, la cobertura comenzará el primer día del mes siguiente.Si vive en un estado que utiliza cuidadodesalud.gov, aplican restricciones.…

  • ¿Puedo comprar o cambiar de plan privado de salud por fuera del período de inscripción?

    FAQs

    En general, puede tener una oportunidad especial de inscripción, para cobertura no grupal, durante el año, por fuera del período de inscripción abierta, si experimenta un evento que califique.  Basta con que solo una persona en un hogar que solicita cobertura o asistencia financiera a través del mercado de seguros califique para un período especial de inscripción (SEP) para que todo el hogar califique. El enlace que encontrará aquí le brinda información detallada sobre los…

  • Consumer Assistance in Health Insurance: Evidence of Impact and Unmet Need

    Issue Brief

    The Affordable Care Act (ACA) established in-person consumer assistance programs to help people identify coverage options and enroll. A variety of professionals provide consumer assistance, including Navigator programs that are funded through state and federal marketplaces, brokers who receive commissions from insurers, local non-profit organizations, and health care providers. In the spring of 2020, KFF surveyed consumers most likely to use or benefit from consumer assistance to learn who uses consumer assistance, why they seek…

  • Eligibility for ACA Health Coverage Following Job Loss

    Issue Brief

    As unemployment claims skyrocket amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, this analysis examines the potential loss of job-based coverage among people in families where someone lost employment between March 1 and May 2 and estimate their eligibility for ACA coverage as of May and January 2021, when most will have exhausted their unemployment benefits.

  • As Unemployment Skyrockets, KFF Estimates More than 20 Million People Losing Job-Based Health Coverage Will Become Eligible for ACA Coverage through Medicaid or Marketplace Tax Credits

    News Release

    Coverage Losses Will Affect At Least a Million Residents in Each of Eight States: California, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, Georgia, Florida, Michigan and Ohio With more than 31 million workers filing unemployment claims between March 1 and May 2 as the coronavirus crisis hit the nation’s economy, a new KFF analysis estimates 26.8 million people across the country would become uninsured due to loss of job-based health coverage if they don't sign up for other…

  • Poll: Nearly Half of the Public Say They or a Family Member Skipped or Delayed Care Due to Coronavirus, But Most Plan to Get Care in the Coming Months

    News Release

    Nearly One in Four Expect a Family Member to Turn to Medicaid in the Coming Year, and Majorities across Party Lines Oppose Medicaid Cuts to Address State Budget Shortfalls Amid the threat of coronavirus, nearly half (48%) of Americans say someone in their family has skipped or delayed getting some type of medical care due to the pandemic, the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. This includes 11% who say the person’s condition worsened due…

  • Coronavirus Response and the Affordable Care Act

    Issue Brief

    This post examines the Affordable Care Act's impact 10 years after its enactment and how its provisions, especially those that expand coverage opportunities, could address the health threat and economic upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

  • Coronavirus Response and the Affordable Care Act

    Policy Watch

    This post examines the Affordable Care Act's impact 10 years after its enactment and how its provisions, especially those that expand coverage opportunities, could address the health threat and economic upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic.