KFF projected benchmark Affordable Care Act premiums will rise 13 percent in 2027
Average premiums for benchmark silver plans in Affordable Care Act marketplaces will rise 13% in 2027, KFF found, following a 26% increase from 2025 to 2026. The Wall Street Journal reported an average monthly premium of about $704 for a 40-year-old buying a benchmark plan. Subsidies cushion increases for most enrollees; people above 400% of the federal poverty level no longer qualify for premium tax credits.
More context
Average finalized benchmark silver premiums in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces will rise 13 percent in 2027, according to an analysis by KFF, the health research group. The increase marks a second consecutive year of double-digit rises; benchmark premiums rose 26 percent from 2025 to 2026. The Wall Street Journal reported that a 40-year-old buying a benchmark plan would pay about $704 a month in 2027, up from $624 this year and about $497 in 2025. Most marketplace enrollees receive subsidies that will cushion the increase, KFF said. People with incomes above 400 percent of the federal poverty level do not qualify for premium tax credits and must pay the full cost of coverage. KFF said higher costs may lead more healthy enrollees to drop coverage, worsening the risk pool.
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Reporting
- The Wall Street Journal — Affordable Care Act Rates To Rise Steeply—Again - WSJ
- The New York Times — Obamacare Dealt Yet Another Blow as Premiums Rise Again - The New York Times
- kff.org — 9 Things to Watch for the 2027 ACA Open Enrollment Period | KFF
Verifier’s note
The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times report that ACA marketplace premiums will rise an average of 13% in 2027, and KFF’s own analysis gives the same finalized benchmark premium increase. The figure concerns ACA marketplace plans, rather than all health insurance premiums.