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Health insurance is at the heart of the government shutdown.
Without action from Congress, insurance premiums for people who buy coverage via the Affordable Care Act marketplace are poised to more than double for the average enrollee in 2026, according to research from KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research group.
Democrats are demanding that legislation to end the shutdown include an extension of enhanced subsidies, or enhanced premium tax credits, that have made marketplace insurance plans cheaper in recent years for the vast majority of ACA enrollees. Republicans have said they don’t want to include the subsidies in shutdown negotiations.
The impasse leaves millions of individuals who buy marketplace insurance — including self-employed business owners, gig workers and early retirees who can’t yet access Medicare, among many others — in limbo about their future health costs. Open enrollment for 2026 ACA coverage starts on Nov. 1.
ACA enrollees: How are your health premiums poised to change next year, and what impact will that have on the rest of your personal finances?
We want to hear from you.
If you’re willing to share your experience for an upcoming story on this topic, please write to reporters Greg Iacurci and Kate Dore at greg.iacurci@versantmedia.com and kate.dore@versantmedia.com.
