Today is the last day to sign up for Affordable Healthcare Act Marketplace insurance. The deadline is 11:59 p.m.
While ACA insurance plans have gained popularity in the last several years as an affordable option, that’s expected to change this year with the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credit, which kept plans affordable. According to KFF estimates, premiums are expected to increase by 114% on average nationwide.
About 91% of all enrollees use the premium tax credit, according to KFF. In Florida, it’s 97%.
The enhanced premium tax credit received a boost in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic when the American Rescue Plan Act increased subsidized payments and removed the income limits so a household with an income above 400% of the federal poverty line could qualify.
About 4.7 million Floridians signed up for ACA plans last coverage period – the most of any state in the country, data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show. Despite the changes to premiums, about 4.4 million Floridians have still signed up as of Monday.
Last year, 24.3 million Americans signed up for coverage – a record high for the program since it got its start in 2014. So far, 22.8 million Americans have signed for the 2026 coverage period.
Last Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to extend the tax credit by another three years. The U.S. Senate is currently discussing its own version of an extension.
Anyone seeking to enroll can do so by visiting healthcare.gov.
