Jennifer Balkcom Praised The One Big Beautiful Bill, Which Let ACA Tax Credits Expire, Driving Up Health Care Costs For More Than 74,000 Individuals In NC-11 On Marketplace Plans

April 2026: Balkcom Praised The One Big Beautiful Bill

May 2026: Balkcom Praised The One Big Beautiful Bill. “Everyone, it is Representative Jennifer Balkcom, House District 117. This has been an override veto override week, so it's exciting. House Bill 87, that's the educational tax credit. Thanks to the beautiful, beautiful bill that was passed in the federal government, we now are setting up an opportunity for scholarships and donors to get that tax credit in North Carolina. So that was exciting.” [Jennifer Balkcom, Instagram, 5/22/26]

Image: see original report, p. 27

[Jennifer Balkcom, Instagram, 5/22/26]

August 2026: Balkcom Said She Was Working With The NRCC To Fundraise And “Get Out The Message” Of Who She Is

VIDEO: August 2026: Balkcom Said She Was “Working Together” The NRCC To Fundraise And “Get Out The Message” Of Who She Is. INTERVIEWER: “Can you briefly tell me how will the fundraising piece work? And I forgive me if I mess up. The NRCC, is that the that's the acronym? Can you tell me what that is? What kind of money are they pledging? And I know you're working with them closely.” BALKCOM: “We are working together. Um hopefully something will be coming out soon because we want to make sure we're gathering all this right now to uh to kind of announce that sooner than later.” INTERVIEWER: “Can you explain what that is to the public?” BALKCOM: “Just uh working with them to uh get on the fun phone call, raise money, work with uh supporters and getting out the message of who I am.” [WLOS News 13, YouTube, 3:11, 8 /13/26] (VIDEO)

August 2026: The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Congratulated Balkcom And Encouraged People To Vote For Her. “Congratulations to Jennifer Balkcom! Balkcom will deliver results for Western North Carolina by strengthening the economy, supporting farmers & securing the border. Remember to VOTE for @JenBalkcom in the General Election on Tuesday, November 3.” [NRCC, Twitter, 8/10/26]

Image: see original report, p. 28

[NRCC, Twitter, 8/10/26]

The One Big Beautiful Bill Made Health Care More Expensive For More Than 74,000 NC-11 Residents That Got Coverage From ACA Marketplace Plans

The One Big Beautiful Bill Did Not Extend Enhanced Premium Tax Credits For ACA Marketplace Plans. “The OBBBA did not extend enhanced premium tax credits for ACA marketplace plans. As a result, when open enrollment begins on November 1, 2025, 20 million marketplace enrollees will see their premium costs spike.” [Center for American Progress, 7/29/25]

2025: More Than 957,000 Individuals In North Carolina Were Enrolled In ACA Marketplace Plans. [KFF, 4/2/25]

[KFF, 4/2/25]

2025: More Than 74,000 Individuals In NC-11 Were Enrolled In ACA Marketplace Plans. [KFF, 10/3/25]

[KFF, 10/3/25]

2025: A 60-Year-Old Couple Making $85,000 In NC-11 Would See A 403% Increase In Their Average Out-Of-Pocket Monthly Premium Payments If The ACA Tax Credits Expired. [KFF, 10/9/25]

Image: see original report, p. 29

[KFF, 10/9/25]

KFF Health System Tracker: Insurers That Participated In The ACA Marketplaces Raised Premiums On Average By 20% In 2026. “For 2026, across 312 insurers participating in the ACA Marketplaces from the 50 states and the District of Columbia, this analysis shows a median proposed premium increase of 18%, which is about 11 percentage points higher than last year. This is the largest rate change insurers have requested since 2018, the last time that policy uncertainty contributed to sharp premium increases. On average, ACA Marketplace insurers are raising premiums by about 20% in 2026. Based on a more detailed analysis of available documents from insurers in 19 states and the District of Columbia, like in prior years, growth in health care prices stood out as a key factor driving costs in 2026. Insurers cite increasing cost and utilization of high-priced drugs as well as general market factors, such as increasing labor costs and inflation, as contributing to premium increases.” [KFF Health System Tracker, 8/6/25]

• The Majority Of Insurers Took Into Account The Potential Expiration Of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits For Their Rate Increases. “In addition to rising healthcare costs, the majority of insurers are also taking into account the potential expiration of enhanced premium tax credits in their premium rate increases for the next year. The expiration of enhanced tax credits will lead to out-of-pocket premiums for ACA marketplace enrollees increasing by an average of more than 75%, with insurers expecting healthier enrollees to drop coverage. That, in turn, increases underlying premiums. Other federal policy changes, like the implementation of tariffs and the ACA Marketplace Integrity and Affordability rule were also discussed, though to a lesser extent.” [KFF Health System Tracker, 8/6/25]
• The Majority Of Insurers Assumed Enhanced Tax Credits Would Expire At The End Of 2025, Which Caused Them To Raise Their Rates By An Average Of 4%. “Uncertainty over federal policy changes has forced insurers to make some assumptions when developing their rates for 2026. Commonly mentioned by insurers is the impact of the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits, which are scheduled to sunset at the end of 2025, unless extended by Congress. The majority of insurers have assumed that enhanced tax credits will expire at the end of this year, driving rates an average of 4 percentage points higher than they otherwise would be. These increased rates are due to insurers anticipating that some healthier members will leave the ACA Marketplaces when their subsidies decrease, creating an enrollee base that is less healthy and more expensive on average.” [KFF Health System Tracker, 8/6/25]
• The Expiration Of Enhanced Tax Credits Would Lead To Out-Of-Pocket Premiums For ACA Marketplace Enrollees Increasing By An Average Of Over 75%. “In addition to rising healthcare costs, the majority of insurers are also taking into account the potential expiration of enhanced premium tax credits in their premium rate increases for the next year. The expiration of enhanced tax credits will lead to out-of-pocket premiums for ACA marketplace enrollees increasing by an average of more than 75%, with insurers expecting healthier enrollees to drop coverage. That, in turn, increases underlying premiums. Other federal policy changes, like the implementation of tariffs and the ACA Marketplace Integrity and Affordability rule were also discussed, though to a lesser extent.” [KFF Health System Tracker, 8/6/25]