Survey data from KFF shows her situation isn’t isolated. Around 8 in 10 Americans who re-enrolled in ACA marketplace plans report higher health care costs this year.
Roughly half describe those increases as steep. The main driver traces back to Dec. 31, when enhanced tax credits expired. Those subsidies had reduced premiums for most enrollees.
Higher costs spill into everyday spending choices. Among 1,117 respondents with ACA coverage in 2025, including those who later switched or dropped plans, about 55% say they plan to cut spending on food or basic household needs. Health insurance coverage competes directly with essentials now.
According to Beinsure analysts, subsidy removal tends to hit lower-income households first, though the ripple spreads wider.
Congress failed to extend those subsidies last year. Democrats pushed to maintain COVID-era support. Republican leadership resisted. Talks around a bipartisan fix collapsed in January.
Around 23 mn ACA enrollees now face higher premiums or reduced coverage options.
The KFF poll, conducted between February and March, tracks how those policy decisions play out in real life. It follows up with the same group surveyed in 2025. Responses show persistent financial pressure, even as federal lawmakers shift focus elsewhere.
Concern over medical expenses runs high across respondents. About three-quarters report worry over emergency care or hospital bills.
Roughly half express similar concern over routine visits or prescription costs. Anxiety levels remain elevated, especially among those with tighter budgets.
Coverage patterns show movement across the market. About 7 in 10 enrollees stayed within ACA plans, though nearly 3 in 10 switched to different tiers.
Around 2 in 10 moved to employer-sponsored plans, Medicare, Medicaid, or off-marketplace coverage. These alternatives often provide narrower benefits or different cost structures.
Roughly 1 in 10 dropped coverage entirely and now remain uninsured. Blame spreads across institutions and political lines. About 7 in 10 respondents facing higher costs place significant blame on health insurance companies.
Slightly more than half point toward Republican lawmakers, President Donald Trump, and pharmaceutical firms. Around one-third assign similar blame to Democrats in Congress or hospitals. About 1 in 10 direct that level of blame toward doctors or employers.
Partisan patterns show up clearly in responses. Individuals tend to blame opposing political groups for rising costs.
The survey carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. Researchers conducted it from Feb. 12 to Mar. 2, 2026, using a probability-based sample of 1,117 adults who held marketplace coverage in 2025.
