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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

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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?

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  • I heard that plans have to cover preventive services without cost sharing. Does this include every preventive service and are there any limitations or exceptions?

    FAQs

    Most health plans, including Marketplace plans, are required to cover a wide range of preventive services and may not impose cost-sharing (such as deductibles, copayments, or co-insurance). The ACA requires private plans to cover services under four broad categories: Evidence-based screenings and counseling Routine immunizations Childhood preventive services Preventive services for women So long as the preventive service is performed by an in-network provider, is not billed separately from the office visit, and is the main…

  • What is a Catastrophic health plan?

    FAQs

    A “Catastrophic plan” is a qualified health plan offered on or off the Marketplace that covers the “essential health benefits.” While Catastrophic plans have lower premiums than other qualified health plans, they also have the highest level of cost sharing allowable for an ACA-compliant plan. For 2026, the annual deductible for covered services in a Catastrophic plan is $10,600 for an individual or $21,200 for a family. The plan does not have to cover more…

  • My income is low enough that I qualify for advanced premium tax credits (APTCs), but I have never filed a federal tax return before. Can I still receive APTCs?

    FAQs

    If this is your first time applying for premium tax credits, then yes. There is no requirement to have filed a tax return for any prior year to qualify for premium tax credits. However, because you have never filed a federal tax return, you will likely have to provide additional documentation (such as pay stubs or a work contract) to the Marketplace within 90 days to verify your projected household income for premium tax credits. …

  • What are premium tax credits and how do they work?

    FAQs

    Premium tax credits reduce your premium for most Marketplace plans. The amount of the tax credit you may receive depends on your income and the cost of Marketplace health plans in your area. The Marketplace will determine the expected contribution you are required to pay toward the premium for a mid-range (Silver) benchmark plan. The expected contribution will increase on a sliding scale based on your 2026 income, with more financial assistance for enrollees with…

  • Can I buy health insurance outside of the Marketplace that meets all ACA consumer protection standards?

    FAQs

    Yes. Many insurers that offer plans through the ACA Marketplace also offer identical plans outside of the Marketplace that meet all ACA standards, although premium tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies are not available for plans sold outside of the Marketplace. Some people prefer to buy health insurance outside of the Marketplace when they are sure they won’t qualify for financial assistance. Like health insurance plans sold on the Marketplace, “ACA-compliant” plans sold outside of the…

  • Tengo cerca de 60 años y me inscribí en un plan del mercado para tener cobertura de seguro de salud hasta que cumpla los requisitos para Medicare a los 65. ¿Qué sucede cuando me inscribo en Medicare?

    FAQs

    Cuando cumpla 65 años, debe inscribirse en Medicare y notificar a su plan del mercado que ahora califica para la cobertura de Medicare. Su cobertura del mercado no se cancelará automáticamente cuando cumpla 65 años y se registre en Medicare, pero si recibe subsidios para ayudarlo a pagar su prima del plan de mercado, su elegibilidad para estos créditos fiscales terminará cuando comience su parte A de Medicare (las personas con Medicare no son elegibles…

  • ¿Qué es el formulario 8962?

    FAQs

    Si recibió un subsidio anticipado para pagar las primas (APTC) a través del mercado el año pasado, debe presentar un formulario 8962 con su declaración de impuestos federal para conciliar sus ingresos estimados y reales del año, incluso si calculó sus ingresos con precisión. Puede obtener un formulario 8962 en blanco en el sitio web del IRS o, si utiliza un software de preparación de impuestos, el formulario se generará automáticamente. Las instrucciones del formulario…

  • ¿Mi empleador debe ofrecerme seguro de salud?

    FAQs

    Si es un trabajador a tiempo completo y trabaja para un gran empleador, su empleador enfrentará una multa si no proporciona cobertura. Algunos empleadores pueden optar por pagar la multa y no ofrecer cobertura. Consulte con su empleador para ver lo que ofrecen.