Yesterday marked the start of open enrollment, and millions of families across the nation will once again face sticker shock as they see what it will cost to stay insured. For the second year in a row, families are facing double-digit premium hikes, putting coverage further out of reach. This is the health care crisis Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress ignited when they ripped away the premium tax credits that over 22 million Americans relied on to see a doctor to fund tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations. Since then, families have been forced to make impossible choices to hang on to their coverage, including cutting back on groceries, going without prescriptions, and skipping doctors’ appointments. Republicans have put care at risk for countless seniors, sick kids, and moms, and things will only get worse as care is put further out of reach for millions.
BY THE NUMBERS:
- Families buying insurance on their own are currently facing an average premium hike of 13 percent before tax credits, in states that posted final rates.
- Nearly five million fewer Americans are covered through the ACA since the GOP prioritized tax breaks for billionaires over ACA tax credits.
- The share of U.S. adults without health insurance skyrocketed to 11.2 percent, climbing to levels unseen since the Affordable Care Act took effect.
- Hospitals are reporting up to a 21 percent increase in the number of uninsured patients, which is likely to drive up costs for everyone and accelerate hospital closures.
- 11 insurers announced they are exiting ACA marketplaces in 2027, leaving people shopping for coverage with fewer affordable options.
- Millions are being forced to pay more for less care, paying on average about $1,000 more before their insurer pays a single penny.
- Republicans voted down Democratic efforts to extend the tax credits nearly three dozen times last year between floor votes, committee votes, and votes on amendments.
- Families Continue To Face Sticker Shock And Get Priced Out of Coverage. Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress ripped away critical tax credits that help millions of working families afford health insurance. Thanks to the GOP, premiums more than doubled for over 20 million Americans last year, and in many cases tripled and quadrupled. Nearly 5 million Americans, many of whom found the cost too high to bear, are now going without ACA coverage. Rural Americans and older adults were especially impacted. Enrollment in rural communities declined by twice the rate of urban communities and older adults face premiums up to three times as high as younger adults without tax credits. The additional rate hike this year will be the last straw for countless more Americans.
- Americans Are Forced To Pay More For Less Care. GOP premium hikes priced millions out of high-quality coverage and forced them to settle for bronze plans that require them to pay thousands more out of pocket before insurers pay a single penny. Nearly 2 million more people enrolled in high-deductible bronze plans in 2026 compared to 2025. Thanks to GOP premium hikes, families are now paying 37 percent, or over $1,000, more on average out of pocket on their health care before their insurance kicks in. More Americans are also being forced to turn to threadbare coverage known as catastrophic plans, as well as junk plans that don’t cover pre-existing conditions. As a result of Trump’s rulemaking, multi-year catastrophic coverage that barely covers any medical costs will likely become more prevalent.
- The GOP Is Ripping Away Health Care From Lawful Immigrants. Federal law already prohibited undocumented immigrants from receiving a single federal dollar before the GOP passed the largest cuts to health care in history. Now, as Republicans lie about taking away health care from illegal immigrants, their GOP tax scam will rip tax credits from 900,000 lawfully present immigrants by 2034, including refugees and people with temporary protected status who are fleeing from conflicts or disasters.
- Families Are Being Forced To Make Impossible Decisions. Small business owners are closing their doors because they can no longer afford to buy insurance on their own. Farmers are deciding between paying what amounts to their mortgage each month for insurance or risking that an accident while tending the field won’t wipe out their hard-earned life savings. Working families are struggling to put food on the table or keep a roof over their heads in order to pay their premiums and avoid crushing medical debt.