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Friend, Thousands of Californians are receiving unwelcome news in the mail: Thanks to Republicans’ refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, Covered California participants are set to see their healthcare costs skyrocket in 2026. Covered CA will see an average increase of 10.3% next year -- the largest increase since 2018 -- with 1.7 million people in California facing an additional 66% more in premium costs.(1,2) For over 600,000 healthy Californians, this increase will likely cause them to drop out of the exchange altogether, further driving up insurance costs for those who need healthcare most.
The ACA tax subsidies were used by more than 90% of ACA enrollees, with California alone standing to lose $2.1 billion.(3) In response to the projected shifts in enrollment, resulting from the increase in costs due to loss of subsidies, insurance companies have requested premium increases of an average of 20% in 2026. (4) That means even more costs passed down to consumers! And while regular people nationwide are left wondering how they will be able to handle the skyrocketing cost of insurance, Congress has chosen to continue its handouts to the ultrawealthy and big corporations. Earlier this year, Congress decided to cut over $800 billion in health insurance funding in order to extend nearly $4 trillion in tax cuts to the top 1%, while ignoring 20 million middle-class and working Americans.(5) Access to affordable health insurance is a cornerstone of stability for the middle class. Not having to worry about whether a health emergency could wipe out all your savings helps ensure our collective well-being. Thank you for being in the fight! –Irene, along with Annie, Angela, Isidra, Cecilia, Jen, and Lindsay (the Courage team)
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