Benchmark ACA premiums rise 13% for 2027

Open enrollment for 2027 Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace coverage opened on November 1 in most states, and the finalized benchmark silver premiums — the plans used to set subsidy amounts — are rising 13% on average, according to KFF’s analysis of the 2027 enrollment period. It is the second consecutive year of double-digit increases, after benchmark premiums rose 26% from 2025 to 2026.

The increases vary by state. Benchmark premiums are rising 11% on average in states that use HealthCare.gov, and 16% in states that run their own marketplaces. In their rate filings, insurers point to the higher underlying cost of care, and to the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits, which changed the makeup of the risk pool; KFF found insurers estimated those risk-pool changes added about four percentage points to premiums in 2026 and expect a similar additional effect in 2027.

Most Marketplace enrollees receive a subsidy that will cushion part of the increase. The sharpest impact falls on people with incomes above 400% of the federal poverty level, who no longer qualify for premium tax credits at all and must pay the full cost of coverage. KFF also notes that enrollment has been falling since the enhanced credits expired: effectuated Marketplace enrollment was down 12% by February 2026 compared with the previous year, and the Congressional Budget Office projects Marketplace enrollment of 13.1 million in 2027, down from a peak of 22.4 million in 2025.

If you buy your own coverage — for example, if you are under 65 and not yet on Medicare, or you cover a spouse or family member through the Marketplace — this is the window to compare 2027 plans rather than letting a current plan renew by default. Premiums, insurer participation, and plan networks are all changing for 2027, and some carriers are leaving states entirely. Check the dates and plans for your state at HealthCare.gov or your state’s own marketplace.