Insurers propose a median ACA rate hike of 15% for 2027: KFF

A new analysis from KFF reveals that insurers plan to hike premiums by an average of 15% for the 2027 Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. This median increase marks the second consecutive year where the median rate hike has been in the double-digits. The proposed 15% hike is lower than previous years, with 2025 seeing an 18% increase and the final 2026 increase of 20%.

However, 2026 proposals still rank among the highest since 2018, as premiums had remained relatively stable in recent years. Should the 15% proposal hold, premiums for ACA marketplace plans could increase by a third within just two years. The majority of insurers (83) proposed rate increases between 10% and 15%, while 53 insurers requested hikes between 15% and 20%.

Notably, 40 insurers sought rate increases between 5% and 10%, and 51 insurers asked for premium hikes of 25% or more. The double-digit rate increases proposed for 2027 follow an already steep climb in premiums. The report highlights rising healthcare costs, economic inflation, increasing claims intensity, labor shortages, and policy changes as contributing factors to the escalating premiums.