Americans buying health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces face another sharp price increase for 2027, with benchmark silver premiums rising by an average of 13%, according to an analysis by the health policy research group KFF. The increase follows a 26% jump from 2025 to 2026, and comes as open enrollment for 2027 coverage is under way.

The benchmark is the second-cheapest silver plan in each area, and tax credits are pegged to it, so it sets the baseline for most buyers. The rise is 11% in states that use the HealthCare.gov platform and 16% in states that run their own enrollment websites. Insurers had first proposed a median increase of 15%. For a 40-year-old, the average benchmark premium is now $703 a month, up from $452 in 2021.

Why prices are rising

Insurers point to a higher-than-usual increase in the underlying cost of care, including medical costs, prescription drugs and labour. They also cite the expiry of the enhanced premium tax credits introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. KFF found insurers estimated that the resulting changes in who remains insured added about four percentage points to premiums in 2026, and expect a similar effect in 2027.

Millions face the full cost

Most enrollees receive subsidies that cushion the increase, but people earning more than 400% of the federal poverty level — about $63,840 for one person — no longer qualify for premium tax credits and must pay the full price. About 19.2 million Americans had active marketplace coverage in February 2026, down 2.6 million from a year earlier. Open enrollment runs from 1 November to 15 January on HealthCare.gov, with coverage starting on 1 January.

[Source: kff.org](https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/9-things-to-watch-for-the-2027-aca-open-enrollment-period/) | [Source: marketwatch.com](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/three-things-that-explain-whats-changing-with-obamacare-in-2027-7c94585b)