Washington, D.C. — Without Senate action, families will see premiums spike by thousands of dollars starting January 1, 2026, when the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits expire. A new analysis from the Center for American Progress Action Fund highlights premium cost increases in 13 states where Republican senators could face accountability from voters, are retiring, or may otherwise be persuadable.
After months of congressional Republican obstruction, a discharge petition will force the House to vote in January on a clean, three-year extension of the ACA’s enhanced tax credits. This vote creates a clear path forward to preserving affordability. But preventing massive premium increases ultimately depends on whether the Senate acts to protect families from higher health insurance costs.
“Republican senators no longer get to hide behind House gridlock, it appears,” said Natasha Murphy, director of Health Policy at CAP Action and co-author of the analysis. “The path to stopping premium spikes in 2026 is clear, and the question now is whether Senate Republicans will step up for families or allow costs to skyrocket.”
The analysis finds that, without action, Americans could see significant increases in their health care premium costs, including:
- Anchorage, Alaska: A family of four earning $161,000 would pay $25,300 more annually.
- Portland, Maine: A single parent earning $85,000 would pay $12,700 more annually.
- Huntsville, Alabama: A 27-year-old earning $63,000 would pay $1,365 more annually.
- Charleston, West Virginia: A 62-year-old couple earning $85,000 would pay $52,000 more annually.
The House vote is now unavoidable. Whether families face massive premium increases in 2026 now likely depends on Senate action.
Read the analysis: “Preventing Premiums From Spiking in 2026 Now Depends on the Senate” by Natasha Murphy and Topher Spiro.
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Christian Unkenholz at [email protected].