WASHINGTON, D.C. – Open enrollment for 2026 health insurance under the Affordable Care Act has begun, overshadowed by a fierce congressional deadlock over extending the law’s enhanced premium subsidies. Without these subsidies, which are set to expire in December, millions of Americans face the prospect of steep increases in their health insurance premiums for the coming year.
According to an analysis by the health policy research group KFF, the average monthly premium for the benchmark plan on healthcare.gov is projected to soar by 30% if the current enhanced subsidies lapse.
Political Standoff Threatens Affordability
The subsidy impasse is tied up in the broader political fight in Congress.
- Democrats are insistent that any federal funding package passed must include an extension of the beefed-up subsidies that have helped lower insurance costs for enrollees since 2021.
- Republicans have stated that they will only discuss the matter of the subsidy extension after the government reopens, linking the healthcare issue to the current funding disputes.
The outcome of this standoff will directly determine the final cost of coverage for many individuals and families enrolling in Affordable Care Act plans. Consumers must now navigate the open enrollment period, which dictates their coverage for 2026, while the future cost of that coverage remains politically uncertain.
