Derek Merrin: January 2026: Affordable Care Act Advanced Premium Tax Credits Expired After The One Big Beautiful Bill Failed To Extend Them

January 2026: Affordable Care Act Enhanced Premium Tax Credits Expired. “The Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits expired on January 1st, 2026, causing premium payments to increase significantly for many Americans enrolled in ACA exchange plans. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected that a permanent extension of the enhanced tax credits would increase the number of people with health insurance by 3.8 million in 2035. Without the extension, the CBO anticipated insurers on the individual market would raise rates with the expectation that some healthier people would drop coverage rather than pay a significantly higher monthly amount. The total number of people who have enrolled in the ACA Marketplaces and paid for at minimum one month of coverage won’t be available until the summer of 2026.” [Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, 1/14/26]

July 2025: 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]