Rising Obamacare premiums fuel Democrats’ affordability attacks against GOP

Obamacare premiums are poised for a double-digit increase in 2027, putting more Americans on the hook for hundreds of dollars in additional costs per month and adding fuel to Democratic attacks over affordability ahead of the midterm elections.  

According to preliminary filings analyzed by KFF, insurers are looking at a median increase of 14 percent. That’s on top of 2026 premiums that were already a median 20 percent higher than the previous year. 

If the 2027 rates are ultimately approved, it would be the second-highest increase since 2018 — continuing a trend of turmoil for the health exchanges under the Trump administration after years of coverage gains and relative stability. 

The increases are being driven by the same factors that contributed to many companies raising premiums by double-digits this year.  

Medical costs, including hospitals and prescription drugs, are rising. There’s growing demand for costly specialty medications and for GLP-1s. Some insurers have dropped coverage of the drugs for weight loss because they are so expensive and utilization is so high. 

Rising inflation is also playing a role, straining supply chains and making everything more expensive, including healthcare. 

At the same time, policy changes by Congress and the Trump administration are taking a toll on the market and fueling uncertainty among insurers.  

Chief among those changes is the loss of Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium subsidies that congressional Republicans let expire at the end of last year. 

Democrats in Congress shut down the government for a record 45 days in late 2025 but failed to get an extension of the enhanced credits in return for their support on voting to reopen the government.   

Instead, Republicans promised to give them a vote on a bill of their........

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