Becker's Healthcare January 2, 2026
Several federal and state healthcare policies are taking effect in 2026, bringing major changes to the physician workforce, hospital operations, reimbursement, insurance and medical school.
1. Affordable Care Act enhanced subsidies expire: Enhanced premium tax credits expired Dec. 31, leaving millions of marketplace enrollees facing higher premiums in 2026.
- The enhanced subsidies, introduced under the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, increased subsidy amounts and expanded eligibility to households earning more than 400% of the federal poverty level, capping benchmark plan premiums at 8.5% of income. Since taking effect, the credits helped grow ACA marketplace enrollment to 24.3 million in 2025.
- Congressional efforts to extend the subsidies failed, with neither a Democratic three-year extension proposal nor a Republican...
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