When Will 2026 ACA Insurance Premium Rates Finally Drop?

Let's be honest. This waiting game is getting ridiculous.

By now, we'd normally be providing a preview of 2026 coverage. Instead, we're creating scenarios, using provisional data and all sitting here refreshing our browsers, wondering when insurers will finally release their rates.

Spoiler alert: It's going to be a nail-biter right up until Open Enrollment starts.

Why Everyone's Playing Wait-and-See

Here's what's really happening behind the scenes:

Congress is still deciding whether to throw consumers a lifeline.

They're debating whether to expand Advanced Premium Tax Credits (APTCs) – and if they do, your clients could see some serious savings on their premiums. Remember 2022? Same drama, same last-minute scramble, same stress-inducing wait until literally days before Open Enrollment.

The courts threw everyone a curveball.

Recent legal challenges to the ACA Marketplace Integrity Rules gave insurers a do-over opportunity starting October 1st. Translation: carriers who thought they were done filing rates got a second chance to shuffle their numbers around.

The Bottom Line: What to Expect

Our crystal ball (aka actuarial models) suggests premiums will jump anywhere from 5% to 27%, depending on where you are and which carrier you're looking at.

While prices are going up, there will usually be a plan that is less expensive if the consumer shops. CMS has expanded access to Catastrophic Coverage plans.

While we're all stuck in this waiting room together, here's how to stay productive:

Get comfortable with uncertainty. Build quotes using different premium scenarios – best case, worst case, and somewhere in the middle. Your clients will appreciate seeing the possibilities laid out.

Have a backup plan.Have backup funding strategies ready to deploy the moment those rates hit. The window between rate release and enrollment will be smaller than a New York apartment.

Start the conversation now. Prepare for potential plan design shifts that might come with the new rates.

Stay in the Know

Sign up for our notifications, and we'll alert you immediately when those 2026 numbers are released. No unnecessary emails, no spam – just the critical information you need to act quickly when it matters.

The waiting stinks, but if that APTC expansion comes through, we might all be pleasantly surprised by what lands in our inbox.

Ready to stop refreshing your browser obsessively? Get notified instantly when rates drop.