ACA open enrollment 2026 begins: What to know as insurance premiums rise

Without the enhanced subsidies, this year’s Obamacare open enrollment period is expected to see the largest rise in monthly premiums since the law went into effect.

Affordable Care Act open enrollment kicks off Saturday, and this year’s enrollment period is expected to see the largest increase in costs since the law went into effect more than a decade ago.

More than 24 million Americans get their health insurance through the ACA, also known as Obamacare. In 2026, a perfect storm of rising premiums and the expiration of enhanced subsidies that kept costs lower for middle-class families mean many people will face higher bills or be forced to shop around for cheaper plans. Some plan to go uninsured as a result.

“It’s a high risk situation for people,” said Stacie Dusetzina, a health policy professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. “If it comes down to paying for food, power and heat versus health insurance that you don’t know if you’ll need or not, it’s hard to continue to pay for that given how much of your budget it takes today.”

Whether you’re renewing coverage or signing up for the first time, here’s what you need to know as open enrollment begins.

Open enrollment for ACA coverage runs from Nov. 1 through Jan. 15 in most states.