Big Increases in Health Insurance Premiums for 2026

Health insurance premiums are set to spike in 2026—driven by rising medical costs, pricey drugs, and the expiration of ACA subsidies.
Big Increases in Health Insurance Premiums for 2026
Health insurance premiums are expected to rise in 2026. Jirsak/Shutterstock
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Whether your health insurance coverage is part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or not, you can expect a hefty premium increase in 2026. For example, insurers in New York are filing premium rate increases that range from a modest 0.9 percent to a hefty 66.4 percent, according to insurance services firm Certifi.
Why do insurance premiums continue to increase? Will this force healthy individuals to forgo insurance and take their chances?

Rising Cost of Health Care

Medical inflation contributes to the increase in health insurance costs. According to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, the price of medical care has increased by 121.3 percent since 2000. This includes services, drugs, and medical equipment.
Anne Johnson
Anne Johnson
Author
Anne Johnson was a commercial property and casualty insurance agent for nine years. She was also licensed in health and life insurance. She went on to own an advertising agency, where she worked with businesses. She has been writing about personal finance for 10 years.