"Millions of Americans will be able to start shopping for health insurance on Saturday, and some of them might not like what they'll see. The average monthly premium for the roughly 24 million people who get their coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces are expected to more than double. That's unless Congress extends subsidies that have been helping people pay for coverage. They were created in 2021 during the pandemic and eventually extended through this year."
"Democrats are hoping that people seeing much higher rates and then being vocal about them will convince Republicans to extend the subsidies quickly. Now, that standoff is what's behind the current government shutdown. Coming up, we'll talk to one of the architects of the Affordable Care Act about why the law was passed in the first place and what issues he sees with the ACA that still need to be fixed."
Open enrollment for 2026 plans on the Affordable Care Act marketplace begins Saturday. If Congress does not extend pandemic-era subsidies, average monthly premiums for about 24 million enrollees are expected to more than double. Subsidies were created in 2021 and extended through this year. People with incomes above 400% of the federal poverty level face the largest increases. A 60-year-old couple earning about $85,000 now pays roughly $600 monthly for a silver plan; without subsidies that cost will rise substantially. Democrats hope public reaction to higher rates will pressure Republicans to quickly renew the subsidies. The dispute contributes to the current government shutdown.
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