ACA Insurers Propose Another Double-Digit Premium Increase for 2027
Insurers selling coverage through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace are proposing a median 15% premium increase for 2027, according to a KFF analysis published August 3, 2026. The review covers 276 insurers with publicly available filings across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The proposed increase is not a final national rate and does not mean every plan or household will pay 15% more. Individual requests vary by insurer, state and market; some filings are lower, higher or even negative. The KFF figure is a median across insurers, not an enrollment-weighted average of consumer bills.
What the proposal would mean
If approved broadly, the filings would mark a second consecutive year of double-digit requested increases in the individual Marketplace. KFF described the 2027 request as the second-highest requested rate change since 2018, after years of relatively flat premium growth in the market.
The 2027 median proposed increase is lower than the 18% median nationwide proposed rate change for 2026. But the median finalized rate change for 2026 was 20%, showing why proposed filings should not be treated as the final outcome.
For consumers, the gross premium shown in an insurer filing is only part of the calculation. What a household pays each month also depends on income, age, location, household size, the benchmark plan in its area, plan selection and eligibility for premium tax credits.
Why insurers are seeking higher rates
In detailed filings from 16 states and the District of Columbia, insurers cited rising prices for medical services, general inflation and labor shortages. They also pointed to factors specific to the individual market, including the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits at the end of 2025 and potential changes in the health of the Marketplace risk pool.
Those explanations come from insurer filings and should not be read as independent findings that one factor alone caused the requested increases. The filings describe the assumptions, data and actuarial justifications insurers submitted for the rates they proposed.
The expiration of the enhanced tax credits can affect consumers in two ways. It may increase the net amount some enrollees owe even when a plan’s gross rate changes by a different percentage. It may also influence who remains enrolled, a concern insurers cited when describing possible changes to the risk pool.
Rates are still under review
State regulators and the federal government are reviewing the proposed increases. CMS says proposed increases of 15% or more in the individual and small-group markets receive effective rate review. That threshold determines when heightened review is required; it does not mean that a 15% proposal will be approved or that consumers will see a 15% increase.
Insurers must provide rate-filing information that includes a summary of the data used, a written explanation of the increase and actuarial documentation. CMS makes those materials available through its rate-review data system.
The review process can result in rates being approved as filed, reduced, revised or otherwise changed before plans are offered to consumers. CMS is targeting October 30, 2026, for posting final rate changes, but that date is a target rather than a guarantee.
What Marketplace shoppers should watch
Consumers should wait for final plan information rather than assume the 15% median request will become their bill. During enrollment, shoppers should update income estimates and household information, review eligibility for financial assistance, compare benchmark and alternative plans, and check provider networks and prescription-drug formularies.
People receiving financial help may see a different net change from the gross premium increase cited in a filing. Unsubsidized consumers may feel approved rate changes more directly, but the outcome will still depend on local competition, benchmark premiums and the plans available in their area.
The next important steps are the completion of state and federal reviews, the release of final rates and the publication of plan choices for 2027. Until then, the 15% figure is a sign of continued cost pressure—not a settled price for every ACA enrollee.
Sources
- KFF: How Much and Why ACA Marketplace Premiums Are Going Up in 2027
- CMS: Review of Insurance Rates
- Associated Press: Obamacare premiums surged this year; a new analysis shows it's likely to happen again in 2027
Look for updates to this story
Discover more from Interactive News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.