Obamacare premiums surged this year. A new analysis shows it's likely to happen again in 2027

By — Ali Swenson, Associated Press Ali Swenson, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/obamacare-premiums-surged-this-year-a-new-analysis-shows-its-likely-to-happen-again-in-2027 Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Obamacare premiums surged this year. A new analysis shows it's likely to happen again in 2027 Health Jul 8, 2026 6:10 PM EDT NEW YORK (AP) — Middle-income Americans straining to pay for Affordable Care Act health insurance are unlikely to get relief next year, according to a new analysis that shows insurers in the marketplace are proposing a second straight year of double-digit premium hikes. Across the 77 insurers in the ACA program that have submitted rate filings that are publicly available, the median proposed premium increase for 2027 is 14%, according to Wednesday's analysis from the healthcare research nonprofit KFF. The insurers cited mounting healthcare costs, federal regulatory changes and the recent expiration of pandemic-era enhanced subsidies as the biggest factors driving premiums higher. READ MORE: 4 tips for navigating higher ACA health care premiums The rise in premiums adds to what already was a significant jump in 2026, when the median rate increase was 20%, according to KFF. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. While most Americans in Obamacare still qualify for subsidies that protect them from paying the full premiums, middle-class enrollees who don't get those subsidies will face an especially stark increase in costs. That group includes households with incomes at or above 400% of the poverty level — about $63,000 per year for an individual or $129,000 for a family of four. WATCH: Senate rejects plans to address sharp rise in health care premiums The rate increases come as federal lawmakers have proposed various policy changes to overhaul the expensive U.S. healthcare system, but no comprehensive legislation has amassed enough support to pass. The higher costs are contributing to Americans' existing worries about overall affordability, a concern that many voters say is front of mind with November's midterm elections looming. Insurers cite rising costs and a smaller, sicker covered population Health insurers must send filings to regulators every year, explaining what they expect to see in premium rate changes for individual market health plans for the coming year. Next year's rates will be finalized later in the summer, but KFF's analysis looked at those in the ACA marketplace that already are public across 16 states and Washington, D.C., to get an early glimpse at what insurers are saying. The report measured insurers' premium increases as an average across all types of plans — bronze, silver, gold and platinum. WATCH: Senate rejects both bills on ACA subsidies, all but ensuring premium hike in 2026 The analysis found that insurers listed ri