Families USA Releases Analysis on Why Healthcare Premiums Are Rising

On Tuesday, November 18, the healthcare advocacy group Families USA released a new analysis of 2026 health insurance premium rate filings, detailing the factors driving premium increases. The analysis found that health insurance rates are, on average, at least 25 percent higher next year than in 2025. This is before considering the impact of the expiring tax credits, which Families USA stated will cause consumers to face premium increases of over 100 percent, on average.

According to the analysis, the top drivers of premium rates were:

• High hospital and provider prices driven by healthcare consolidation.
• Rising prescription drug costs.
• Increased utilization of certain services and growing administrative costs.
• The expectation of covering a smaller and sicker risk pool due to the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces.

“Extending the ACA tax credits to prevent massive premium spikes should be the easy vote for Congress, and an entry point to address healthcare affordability broadly,” said Anthony Wright, executive director of Families USA, in a statement. “Americans, regardless of their party or whether they get coverage through the marketplaces or their employer, are sick and tired of paying too much for care.”

Families USA urged Congress to act immediately, not only to extend the enhanced premium tax credits but also to pass a range of pending policy proposals.