Government Shutdown Update
ACA Marketplace enrollee premiums are expected to double if enhanced premium tax credits expire. Insurance companies will also charge higher rates in 2026 to make up for anticipated disenrollment. Insurers are expected to charge 26% more in premiums next year. That’s why polling data from Kaiser Family Foundation shows 74% of Americans continue to support the extension of enhanced premium tax credits to support affordable health insurance access through the ACA Marketplace.
The shutdown, which had already become the longest in U.S. history, ended Wednesday night after a temporary funding bill was passed by Congress and signed by the President. Importantly, provisions included a short-term extension for telehealth flexibilities through January 30, 2026, which many people with disabilities rely on. While negotiations on the shutdown had centered on the extension of the enhanced premium tax credits, the temporary funding bill unfortunately did not include a pathway to extend them. Congressional leadership has promised a vote on the tax credit extension in December, but it is uncertain if that will occur prior to December 15 (the deadline to enroll for coverage beginning January 1). This potentially leaves millions of Americans without a clear way forward to attaining affordable healthcare in 2026. If an extension is reached, enrollees will be able to adjust their plan selection up until January 15, 2026 for coverage that starts February 1st. For those enrollees that sign up by December 15, 2025, they may be unable to adjust their plan selection for coverage starting January 1, 2026. When advising new enrollees on their plan selection, you may want to encourage people to delay making a decision until a deal is reached.
Families USA highlighted this dilemma for millions of Americans seeking stable coverage for the year ahead:
With open enrollment for 2026 coverage already underway, families are making decisions about their health and finances now — they cannot afford to wait another month for Congress to act. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that even if the tax credits are extended at the end of the year, over a million and a half Americans will lose coverage from the sticker shock and may never come back. Every day we delay causes damage to American families and the health system we all rely on. Americans deserve stability, security and the peace of mind that their health coverage will remain within reach. By refusing to extend tax credits, Congress is sowing chaos and confusion into the marketplace, leaving consumers, insurers and state officials scrambling in uncertainty about what coverage will cost and who will be able to afford it.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) issued a statement warning that ending the shutdown without a conversation on health policy may facilitate deeper changes to the Affordable Care Act long term, impacting healthcare access, service provision and consumer protections. ACA protections to ensure coverage under “guaranteed issue” have already been eliminated this year, meaning insurers can deny coverage to people in debt from past premiums. Analysis from the Georgetown Center for Children and Families has also pointed out that public health programs supporting maternal and child health are being lost in the budget negotiations, with major funding reductions expected. Due to the longstanding economic squeeze facing people with disabilities in particular, cuts to public programs will further increase out-of-pocket expenses and the overall cost of living for the millions of Americans who require stable coverage to ensure good health.
Resources for Outreach
To support your outreach this year around Open Enrollment, here are a few noted resources to support your public communications and messaging:
- Young Invincibles offers a collection of resources, including their Open Enrollment messaging toolkit and template graphics available to use. New graphics are being added throughout Open Enrollment.
- Community Catalyst’s Open Enrollment Messaging Guide offers essential context about the stakes of our health care crisis, and the importance of the ACA.
- This Community Catalyst Infographic highlights what’s unique about this year’s Open Enrollment, and steps for managing your coverage selection.
Archives of our weekly updates are available on the NDNRC website. Follow AAHD’s other newsletters to stay current on research opportunities and policy developments supporting people with disabilities.