Health subsidies expire, launching millions of Americans into 2026 with steep insurance hikes
ABC7 Los Angeles••nation
Key Points:
- Enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits that significantly lowered health insurance costs expired at the start of 2026, causing premiums to rise sharply for millions of Americans who rely on the ACA for coverage.
- The expiration affects a broad group including self-employed workers, small business owners, and those not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare, with some seeing premiums increase by more than double or triple.
- Political efforts to extend these subsidies failed before the deadline despite Democratic and some moderate Republican support, with a potential House vote in January offering an uncertain chance for renewal.
- Analysts predict the premium hikes may lead millions, particularly younger and healthier individuals, to drop coverage, potentially increasing costs for remaining enrollees and destabilizing the ACA market.
- Many affected
