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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?

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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  • Me enteré que mi cobertura de Medicaid terminó. ¿Qué hago ahora?

    FAQs

    Si pierde Medicaid pero cree que aún califica, comuníquese con su agencia de Medicaid. Si su cobertura terminó hace menos de 90 días, es posible que pueda enviar los formularios y documentos requeridos y restablecer su cobertura. En este caso, su cobertura será retroactiva a su fecha de baja. Si su cobertura terminó hace más de 90 días, es probable que deba volver a aplicar para Medicaid. Si la agencia de Medicaid dice que usted…

  • My company provides funds for workers to buy health insurance on their own instead of providing health insurance through the company. Can I still qualify for premium tax credits to buy a Marketplace plan?

    FAQs

    Employees who receive funds to buy health insurance on the individual market can sometimes still qualify for premium tax credits, depending on the type of health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) their employer offers and its affordability to you: Employers with fewer than 50 workers may offer what’s known as a Qualified Small Employer HRA. If your employer offers this type of coverage arrangement and it is considered “affordable” based on your household income, you will not…

  • ¿Qué es un plan de salud para estudiantes?

    FAQs

    Un plan de salud estudiantil es un tipo especial de cobertura médica que las universidades ofrecen a sus estudiantes matriculados. Normalmente, un plan de salud estudiantil es diferente de la cobertura patrocinada por el empleador que las universidades ofrecen a su plantel de profesores y a su personal.

  • ¿Cómo puedo proteger mi información personal al inscribirme en la cobertura del mercado a través de un sitio web que no pertenece al mercado?

    FAQs

    Aquí tiene algunos consejos para proteger su información personal si decide inscribirse en el mercado de seguros a través de un sitio web externo: Tenga cuidado con las técnicas de venta que lo presionan para tomar decisiones rápidas. Utilice esta herramienta cuidadodesalud.gov para encontrar sitios web de socios de inscripción certificados y aprobados por el mercado de seguros. Tenga cuidado al interactuar con anuncios que ofrecen dinero en efectivo, regalos u otros beneficios. La información…

  • ¿Qué tipos de planes médicos venden los sitios web de inscripción privada?

    FAQs

    Los sitios web de inscripción privada administrados por compañías de seguros generalmente solo muestran los planes que ofrece esa aseguradora. Los sitios web administrados por corredores de seguros deben mostrar todos los planes ofrecidos por varias aseguradoras. Si tiene preguntas o inquietudes sobre la información en estos sitios, comuníquese con el centro de atención telefónica del mercado, con cuidadodesalud.gov o con el mercado de su estado. Muchos sitios web de inscripción privada también venden planes…

  • ¿Quién puede comprar un plan catastrófico?

    FAQs

    En general, los planes catastróficos solo se pueden vender a adultos jóvenes menores de 30 años. Sin embargo, existen ciertas exenciones por dificultades económicas y asequibilidad para personas de 30 años o más, incluso si no existe un plan de salud calificado, dentro o fuera del mercado, que cueste menos del 8.05% de sus ingresos en 2026, o si no son elegibles para créditos fiscales para primas o reducciones de costos compartidos según sus ingresos…

  • I’m 63 and enrolled in a retiree health plan from my former employer. Can I get better coverage and subsidies in the Marketplace instead of staying on retiree coverage?

    FAQs

    Yes, as long as you do so during the Open Enrollment period. However, because you are enrolled in retiree coverage, you will not be eligible for premium tax credits or cost-sharing subsidies for Marketplace coverage. This is true even if the coverage you’re enrolled in is a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA). If you drop your retiree coverage, you may be eligible for financial assistance on the Marketplace depending on your income. However, voluntarily dropping your…

  • I’m working on an H-2A visa. Am I eligible for coverage in the Marketplace?

    FAQs

    Yes. Lawfully-present immigrants who are otherwise eligible for coverage – including “nonimmigrants” like H-2A workers and those on student visas – may purchase insurance in the Marketplace. Those who are low-income and otherwise eligible may also receive premium assistance and cost-sharing reductions to lower the cost of coverage in Marketplace plans. However, DACA is no longer considered an eligible immigration status for health coverage through the Marketplaces, and starting in 2027, certain other lawfully present…

  • Are individuals granted deferred action under “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” (DACA) eligible for Medicaid, CHIP, and the health insurance Marketplaces?

    FAQs

    No. Some individuals who entered the U.S. as children have been given temporary permission to stay in the United States under a program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). These individuals are lawfully present in the United States and can be granted work authorization and Social Security numbers. However, DACA recipients are no longer eligible for health coverage through Medicaid, CHIP, or the Marketplaces. Browse more questions in the Marketplace Basics section.

  • Will getting health insurance through Medicaid, CHIP, or the health insurance Marketplaces affect an individual’s ability to obtain lawful permanent resident status or citizenship?

    FAQs

    Some people who apply for a green card (lawful permanent residence) or a visa to enter the U.S. must pass a “public charge” test, which looks at whether the person is likely to become primarily dependent on the federal government as demonstrated by the use of cash assistance programs for income maintenance or government-funded institutionalized long-term care. In making this determination, immigration officials consider certain factors in their totality, including a person's age, family status, income…