President Donald Trump and the Republicans got what they fought for during the government shutdown in 2025: massive increases in health insurance premiums on millions of Americans beginning in 2026 because of the elimination of Obamacare subsidies, notes the Associated Press:
Enhanced tax credits that have helped reduce the cost of health insurance for the vast majority of Affordable Care Act enrollees expired overnight, cementing higher health costs for millions of Americans at the start of the new year…
On average, the more than 20 million subsidized enrollees in the Affordable Care Act program are seeing their premium costs rise by 114% in 2026, according to an analysis by the health care research nonprofit KFF.
Those surging prices come alongside an overall increase in health costs in the U.S., which are further driving up out-of-pocket costs in many plans…
Health analysts have predicted the expiration of the subsidies will drive many of the 24 million total Affordable Care Act enrollees — especially younger and healthier Americans — to forgo health insurance coverage altogether.
Over time, that could make the program more expensive for the older, sicker population that remains.
(Source: Associated Press)