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Families forced to drop coverage as costs surge
Adrienne Martin, a 47-year-old mother from Texas, will begin 2026 without health insurance after her monthly premium quadrupled to $2,400. The increase follows the expiration of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that previously made her plan affordable.
Life-saving treatments at risk
Martin's husband relies on a $70,000-per-month IV medication to manage a blood-clotting disorder. With their coverage set to lapse, the family stockpiled doses to cover the initial months of the year. "It's like paying two mortgages," Martin said of the new premium. "We can't afford $30,000 a year for insurance."
Political gridlock leaves millions vulnerable
Congress failed to extend the ACA subsidies before they expired on December 31, despite bipartisan efforts. The credits, expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, lowered costs for about 24 million Americans who purchase insurance through the ACA marketplace. A vote on a three-year extension is now scheduled for the week of January 5, but no immediate relief is expected.
Earlier this year, the subsidies became the focal point of the longest U.S. government shutdown in history, lasting over 40 days. Democrats sought a three-year extension costing $35 billion annually, while Republicans demanded spending cuts in exchange. The standoff ended when a group of Democratic senators agreed to reopen the government in exchange for a Senate vote on the subsidies-but that vote never materialized.
"I am pissed for the American people. Everybody has a responsibility to serve their district. Three-quarters of people on Obamacare are in states Donald Trump won."
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY)
Costs double for families nationwide
Without the subsidies, average monthly premiums are projected to rise by 114%, according to the health research nonprofit KFF. Maddie Bannister, a California mother of two, saw her family's premium jump from $124 to $908 per month. "So many people will choose to be uninsured because paying the penalty is cheaper than having healthcare," she said.
For Bannister, the increase means delaying other financial goals. "We were saving for a home, but now that will take much longer if we're spending $11,000 a year on insurance we barely use."
Shifting between programs as options dwindle
Some Americans are turning to Medicaid, the government program for low-income individuals, as ACA plans become unaffordable. Stephanie Petersen, 38, recently switched from Medicaid to an ACA plan but is now reverting after her premium surged from $75 to $580 per month. "I'm trying to stay optimistic, but the system is broken," she said. "Everyone deserves affordable healthcare without jumping through hoops."
Uninsured population set to grow
Experts warn the number of uninsured Americans-already at 27 million-will likely rise as premiums climb. Martin, who described her family as middle-class, summed up the frustration: "We've worked our whole lives, done everything right, and now we're getting screwed. The whole system is a nightmare."
