Millions face higher ACA premiums after enhanced subsidies expire

Enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that lowered monthly premiums for many enrollees expired on January 1, 2026, triggering significant premium jumps for people who buy insurance on their own.

The change is expected to strain household budgets and could lead some consumers—especially self-employed workers and families without employer coverage—to drop insurance altogether.

The issue is also setting up a new political showdown in Washington over whether Congress will revive or replace the expired assistance.