Idaho kicks off Affordable Care Act open enrollment as premiums are set to rise nationwide

On Wednesday, open enrollment for Obamacare plans began in Idaho, offering a preview to the rest of the country of how much monthly premiums are set to increase in 2026.

On Wednesday, open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans began in Idaho, offering a preview to the rest of the country of how much monthly premiums are set to increase in 2026.

Many Idahoans will have to decide whether they’ll be able to afford coverage once the enhanced subsidies that kept premiums lower for many middle-class families expire at the end of the year.

Bob McMichael, 63, and his wife, Leslie, 62, already know they won’t.

Both are retired and make about $42,000 a year. They currently pay $51 a month for their ACA plan. Late last month, they got a notice that their monthly premium would increase to $2,232 next year without the subsidies.

“We’re facing a stratospheric increase in health care and probably don’t have any option to stay on health care as of January 2026,” McMichael said.