This retired Georgia couple’s ACA premium doubled to $39,000 a year after subsidies ended. How to plan for higher costs

With nonrecreational backgrounds successful economics and accounting, Barbara Brockway and Matt Padula mightiness look similar they’d beryllium capable to person status mapped down to the dollar. But 1 enactment point proved harder to forecast: wellness insurance.

After enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expired going into 2026, the retired Georgia mates saw their monthly Marketplace premium leap from $1,600 to $3,200, which is astir $39,000 much for the twelvemonth (1).

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At 62, they’re inactive years distant from Medicare eligibility. And due to the fact that they “wouldn’t adjacent dream” of going without coverage, they accidental the higher premiums are forcing them to rethink status spending. Brockway told CBS Atlanta they’ll request to chopped backmost connected mundane expenses — including discretionary costs similar eating retired and vacations.

Marketplace subsidies erstwhile again signifier retired astatine higher income levels. As of 2026, households mostly indispensable gain nary much than 400% of the national poorness level to suffice for fiscal assistance — meaning immoderate middle-income enrollees whitethorn present person small oregon nary subsidy.

Some households who antecedently benefited from enhanced subsidies are present facing higher premiums. And aboriginal enrollment information suggests immoderate consumers whitethorn beryllium reconsidering Marketplace sum altogether.

CMS information shows Marketplace enrollment is already trending little successful aboriginal 2026. As of Jan. 12, 2026, astir 22.8 cardinal radical had signed up for Marketplace coverage, down from 24.16 cardinal astatine the aforesaid constituent successful 2025 — a diminution of astir 1.4 cardinal enrollees twelvemonth implicit twelvemonth (3, 4).

Across each demographics, a KFF survey recovered that astir 50% of Americans accidental it’s a conflict to support up with healthcare costs. Researchers recovered these rising costs were capable to marque 1 successful 3 Americans defer coverage. But adjacent among those with wellness insurance, 4 successful 10 accidental they’re tense astir affording their premiums (5).

It’s not conscionable consumers feeling squeezed — insurers whitethorn besides beryllium reassessing the Marketplace successful immoderate states.​

The Urban Institute recovered that 21 states reported less insurers successful the Marketplace (6), with Aetna being 1 of the largest to opt retired (7). Researchers speculated that insurers are leaving owed to the uncertainty created by the nonaccomplishment of 2026 subsidies and fears that they whitethorn person to screen “sicker” customers (6).