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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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  • Now Available: Summary of Senate Repeal/Replace Bill in 17 Key Areas

    News Release

    An interactive tool from the Kaiser Family Foundation now includes a detailed summary of the Senate’s new discussion draft, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, a plan released Thursday to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). With the tool, users can compare the Senate bill to current law and the House-passed American Health Care Act in 17 key areas of health policy, including Medicaid, premium subsidies to individuals, state role, financing, women’s health, and…

  • ACA Replacement Plans and the Individual Market

    Feature

    This slideshow compares premiums and tax credits under proposed replacement plans for the Affordable Care Act, including the Senate's Better Care Reconciliation Act and the House-passed American Health Care Act.

  • Association Health Plans for Small Groups and Self-Employed Individuals under the Better Care Reconciliation Act

    Issue Brief

    A provision in the Senate Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), would establish association health plan options for small employers and self-employed individuals. For these plans, the requirement that premiums cannot vary based on health status would not apply. This brief describes how association health plans could affect premiums in the small group and non-group markets.

  • Medicaid’s Role in Colorado

    Fact Sheet

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

  • Medicaid’s Role in Louisiana

    Fact Sheet

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

  • Medicaid’s Role in Tennessee

    Fact Sheet

    This fact sheet provides data on Medicaid's role in Tennessee and describes how implementing a per capita cap or block grant would affect Tennessee.

  • Section 1332 State Innovation Waivers: Current Status and Potential Changes

    Issue Brief

    Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) authorizes states to waive key requirements under the law in order to experiment with different health coverage models. As Republicans in Congress debate repeal and replacement of the ACA, renewed attention is being paid to these waivers as a mechanism for giving states flexibility to restructure their health care markets. This brief describes current 1332 waiver activity, including proposals in the Senate's Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA),…