Health insurance is at center of government shutdown battle
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2don MSN
Your health insurance premiums are set to jump in 2026, with costs rising twice as fast as inflation
With open enrollment starting soon, employees could get sticker shock, with their costs expected to rise 6% to 7% for 2026, a new study says.
A KFF survey found the average family health insurance plans offered through the workplace now cost nearly $27,000.
The cost of employer-sponsored health insurance rose for the third year in a row in 2025, approaching an average of almost $27,000 for a family plan, according to an annual
Many states have shown rising premiums ahead of open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans. The government shutdown is driven by Democrats and Republicans being far apart on the issue of extended subsidies.
“Health insurance in America is very expensive, because health care is very expensive,” said Katherine Baicker, a health economist who is the provost at the University of Chicago. “And that’s true in every market. What’s different is who is writing the check, and how easily perceived the full cost is to the individual who is being insured.”
Some Americans said they're worried that if subsidies expire, they may be forced to choose a lower-tier insurance plan or may not be able to cover their premiums.