Headlines From National Outlets and 24 States
The GOP health care disaster is marching on, and as more Americans go online to enroll in health insurance for 2026, the headlines are only getting worse for Republicans. From local papers to national outlets, newspapers across the country reflect the American people’s growing frustration with the GOP’s cruel health care cuts. Gig workers and young adults are staring down unaffordable premium hikes when they log onto Healthcare.gov. Parents are having difficult dinner table conversations about how they’ll pay rent if their children get sick. Small businesses are frightened of losing employees who can no longer afford to buy health insurance on their own.
Bellwether elections last Tuesday demonstrated that everyday Americans are fed up with Trump and the GOP carving out tax breaks for billionaires while ripping away tax credits working families can’t live without. If Republicans continue their march to make health care unaffordable for working families, they’ll certainly feel the sting at the ballot box next November. Until then, Protect Our Care’s Premium Disaster Watch will continue reminding the American people who is causing their shrinking coverage and skyrocketing premiums.
National Coverage
CNN: Skyrocketing ACA Premiums Force Enrollees to Make Tough Decisions
ABC: ‘It’s Insane’: ACA Policyholders Say Soaring Health Insurance Premiums Are Jeopardizing Lives
CNBC: Consumers on Edge as ACA ‘Subsidy Cliff’ Looms: ‘Quite Frankly, It’s Terrifying’
Fortune: These GOP States Would Suffer the Biggest Blows if Affordable Care Act Subsidies Expire, Analysts Say
Scripps News: Gig Workers, Young Adults Could Face Sharp Premium Hikes if ACA Subsidies Expire
POLITICO: Legal Immigrants Face Loss of Obamacare Help, Threatening Insurance Markets
The Washington Post: ACA Health Care Premiums Are Rising. These 8 Americans Showed Us How Much.
Medical XPress: As Premiums Soar and Congress Battles, Open Enrollment for ACA Health Insurance Is Underway
La Grada: Confirmed—the Affordable Care Act’s Enhanced Subsidies Expire in 2025—and Insurance Premiums Will Rise by Up to 114% in 2026
Jacobin: Americans Are Being Crushed by Health Care Premiums
The Lever: Premium Pain, Executive Gain
Alabama
Alabama Reflector: Health Care Premiums to Surge for Alabamians if Congress Doesn’t Reach ACA Deal
Alabama Political Reporter: ACA Subsidy Debate Continues as Alabamians Face Rising Insurance Costs
Arizona
KGUN: Healthcare Premiums Could Jump Significantly as Enhanced Subsidies Expire
ABC 15: ABC15 Listens: Arizonans Feeling Financial Strain of Rising Healthcare Premiums
AZ Family: ‘One More Setback’: Arizonans Concerned About Potential Health Insurance Rate Hike
California
CBS 8: Covered California Enrollees Could Potentially Face Premium Spike Amid Tax Credit Uncertainty
Connecticut
CT Insider: ‘How Much More Can You Cut Back?’: Connecticut Families Brace for Soaring Health Insurance Premiums
Georgia
Times-Georgian: As Premiums Soar and Congress Battles, Open Enrollment for ACA Health Insurance is Underway
Hawaii
Honolulu Star-Advertiser: Editorial: Hawaii Can’t Afford Affordable Care Act War Fallout
Idaho
Idaho Capital Sun: 25,000 Idahoans Are Expected to Drop Their Health Insurance if Congress Doesn’t Act On Tax Credits
Illinois
WANE: Southern Illinois Faces More Than 78% Increase in Monthly Premiums During Open Enrollment
Iowa
Iowa Public Radio: As ACA Marketplace Enrollment Opens, Many Iowans Face Higher Premiums
KTIV: Inside Iowa Politics: Three Ways Health Care Costs May Soon Rise
Kansas
KCUR: Kansans Could See Health Care Premiums Spike. It’s at the Heart of the Government Shutdown
Maine
Maine Public: Mainers Face Steep Premiums on ACA Marketplace With Expiration of Enhanced Tax Credits
Massachusetts
MassLive: Health Insurance Premiums Set to Rise for More Than 330K Mass. Residents in 2026
Michigan
MLive: Rising Health Care Premiums a Concern as Whitmer, Dingell Visit Hospital Near Ann Arbor
Minnesota
5 EYEWINTESS NEWS: ACA Marketplace Health Insurance Premiums to Rise 21.5% on Average in Minnesota, Expert Says
MPR News: With Federal Subsidy Set to Expire, Some Minnesotans Face Eye-Popping Health Premium Increases
Missouri
KSHB: Expect Sticker Shock When Enrolling as ACA, Employer Health Premiums Poised for Biggest Jump in Years
St. Louis Public Radio: Missouri Customers Face Confusion, Price Hikes on Health Insurance Marketplace
Nebraska
KETV: Nebraska Expert Gives Advice as ACA Health Insurance Premiums See Spike for 2026
New Jersey
NJ Spotlight News: As Health Insurance Premiums Spike, Will NJ Residents Cancel Coverage?
North Carolina
ABC 11: As Government Shutdown Lingers, NC Families Could Get Hit With Higher Healthcare Premiums
WBTV: Affordable Care Act Insurance Premiums Could Rise for Over 1.6 Million Carolinians
Oklahoma
The Oklahoman: As Many as 100,000 Oklahomans Could Be Without Health Insurance by the End of the Year
Pennsylvania
Penn Capital-Star: Pennsylvanians Grapple With Surging Premiums, Expiring Subsidies in Pennie Marketplace
Keystone Newsroom: Expiration of ACA Tax Credits to Hit Small Businesses Across Pennsylvania
Texas
Double Mountain Chronicle: Premiums Rise as ACA Open Enrollment Begins
Houston Public Media: With ACA Tax Credits Set to Expire, Houston Family Faces Skyrocketing Insurance Costs
Utah
KSL: ‘Perfect Storm of Ugly’: Democrats Warn of Impacts to Utahns if Premium Subsidies Expire
Vermont
Vermont Public: ‘It Makes Me Sick to Think About’: Vermonters Get Sticker Shock During ACA Open Enrollment
Wisconsin
WPR: As ACA Enrollment Opens, Wisconsinites Experience Sticker Shock
El-Balad: Wisconsinites Face Sticker Shock as ACA Enrollment Begins