Updated
Updated · healthsystemtracker.org · Jul 8
ACA Insurers Seek 14% 2027 Premium Hike as Expired Tax Credits Shrink Risk Pool
Updated
Updated · healthsystemtracker.org · Jul 8

ACA Insurers Seek 14% 2027 Premium Hike as Expired Tax Credits Shrink Risk Pool

3 articles · Updated · healthsystemtracker.org · Jul 8

Summary

  • 77 insurers in 16 states and Washington, D.C., proposed a median 14% ACA Marketplace premium increase for 2027, the second straight year of double-digit hikes; requests range from 1% to 52%, with none seeking cuts.
  • A 10% median medical-cost trend is the main driver, with filings citing higher hospital and drug prices, broader inflation, labor shortages, and in some cases pricier claims and GLP-1 use.
  • Expired enhanced premium tax credits are also pushing rates higher by reducing 2026 enrollment and leaving a sicker risk pool; insurers say that deterioration will continue into 2027.
  • If approved, typical Marketplace premiums would be up more than one-third over two years, while most subsidized enrollees may be partly shielded and federal subsidy costs would rise.
  • Final 2027 rates will be set in late summer, after regulators review the preliminary filings.

Insights

How might rising premiums and insurer exits reshape the ACA marketplace and affect uninsured rates in the coming years?
Could new policy interventions or state actions reverse the double-digit ACA premium hikes projected for 2027?