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.

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  • Summary of the Affordable Care Act

    Fact Sheet

    This document summarizes the comprehensive 2010 health reform law, often called the Affordable Care Act or ACA, including changes made to it by subsequent legislation, with a focus on provisions to expand coverage, control costs, and improve delivery systems.

  • Webinar: The ACA and What It Means for Black Americans

    Event Date:
    Event

    Now that the Affordable Care Act's major provisions to expand health insurance coverage are in effect, time is ticking for consumers to sign up for a health insurance plan through the Federal or State Health Insurance Marketplaces.  Monday, March 31, is the last day to sign up for coverage through the Marketplaces. While there is no deadline for eligible people to enroll in Medicaid, many consumers are still confused or uninformed about their coverage options…

  • The Affordable Care Act in California: Briefing and Panel Discussion

    Event Date:
    Event

    In the first of many events to highlight Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation in the states and on the front lines across the country, the Kaiser Family Foundation partnered with the Blue Shield of California Foundation to examine ACA implementation in California (CA) at a Washington, D.C., briefing and panel discussion on February 19, 2014. State and county officials, experts and advocates discussed the latest developments and lessons learned about the ACA implementation in California, a…

  • Health Care Access and Coverage for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Community in the United States: Opportunities and Challenges in a New Era

    Perspective

    This Policy Insight looks at the challenges and questions surrounding recent policy changes that are expected to increase health insurance coverage and access to care for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and their families, including the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Supreme Court's DOMA decision.

  • All Eyes on the Supreme Court: More than Birth Control at Stake

    Issue Brief

    On March 25th, the Supreme Court will hear two cases brought by for-profit corporations challenging the ACA’s contraceptive coverage rule on religious grounds. These two corporations are Hobby Lobby, a national chain of craft stores owned by a Christian family and Conestoga Wood Specialties, a cabinet manufacturer, owned by a Mennonite family. Beyond the impact on the ACA and contraceptive coverage, the Court’s decision may have implications for religious rights of employers and employees, as…

  • A Profile of Community Health Center Patients: Implications for Policy

    Issue Brief

    Community health centers are a key source of primary care in underserved areas. Their role will grow as coverage expands under the ACA. To sharpen understanding of the health center patient population, this brief compares them to the low-income population overall, using the Health Center Patient Survey and National Health Interview Survey. The pre-ACA profile of health center patients that emerges sets the stage for measuring change and highlights important implications of states’ Medicaid expansion…

  • A Guide to the Supreme Court’s Review of the Contraceptive Coverage Requirement

    Issue Brief

    This issue brief dissects the issues raised by the legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that private insurance plans include contraception as part of their coverage of preventive services for women. Over 40 for-profit corporations and over 40 nonprofit corporations have filed lawsuits claiming that the requirement to provide their employees with contraceptives violates their religious rights. On November 26, 2013, the Supreme Court agreed to hear two cases filed by for-profit corporations,…

  • How Will the Uninsured in Ohio Fare Under the Affordable Care Act?

    Fact Sheet

    This state report explains how the ACA expands coverage in Ohio, including a breakdown of how many uninsured people are eligible for Medicaid, how many are eligible for financial assistance to help them buy private insurance in the new Marketplace and how many will not receive any financial assistance at all. The report also details, in specific dollar figures, the income levels at which people in Ohio are eligible for Medicaid or financial assistance in…

  • How Will the Uninsured in Texas Fare Under the Affordable Care Act?

    Fact Sheet

    This state report explains how the ACA expands coverage in Texas, including a breakdown of how many uninsured people are eligible for Medicaid, how many are eligible for financial assistance to help them buy private insurance in the new Marketplace and how many will not receive any financial assistance at all. The report also details, in specific dollar figures, the income levels at which people in Texas are eligible for Medicaid or financial assistance in…