Marketplace health insurance premiums will skyrocket unless Congress acts

Federal lawmakers could avoid a price-hike while averting a government shutdown

*UPDATE: October 1, 2025 — Where indicated, this release had been updated to reflect new KFF analysis based on more recent data, showing that without Congressional action, annual Healthcare Marketplace premiums will more than double next year, from an average of $888 in 2025 to $1,904 in 2026 — an increase of 114%. KFF explains the update here.

The 583,000 Ohioans currently enrolled in Healthcare Marketplace insurance plans will face higher costs for 2026 coverage. Time is running out for leaders to prevent this increase. They should do so in the Continuing Resolution now being negotiated to avoid a government shutdown. If not, they must act before the end of the year.

At issue are valuable enhancements to the Affordable Care Act (ACA’s) premium tax credits (PTCs) that make Marketplace plans more affordable. Since being put in place in 2021, enhanced PTCs have reduced the average Marketplace enrollee’s premium by 44%. They helped increase enrollment in Marketplace plans from 11.4 million in 2020 to 24.3 million in 2025.

Without action from Congress, the enhancements will expire at the end of this year. Marketplace enrollees will face higher premium costs when they begin enrolling for 2026 health care plans next month. Those who auto-renew might not learn of increases until January, at which point they will have little time to make changes.

*Update: October 1, 2025 — See note at top of page. KFF projects that allowing PTC enhancements to expire will cause an average 75% increase in premiums for Marketplace enrollees nationwide, with a 90% increase in many rural areas.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities provided the following examples of the impact on Ohio households:

• A $15,507 annual increase in premiums for a 60-year-old couple in Ohio making $82,000.
• A $6,209 annual increase in premiums for an Ohio family of four making $126,000.
• A $709 annual increase in premiums for a 45-year-old Ohioan making $62,000.

Ohioans can use KFF’s interactive tool to calculate what premium increases could look like based on their family size and income. The tool is a crucial resource as Ohioans make their health insurance decisions for next year: Open enrollment begins November 1. Our representatives in D.C. should be doing everything they can to extend these tax credits. They can do so now — today — by insisting that an extension is included in the Continuing Resolution they’re currently debating.