Maine insurers propose double‑digit rate hikes as New Hampshire enrollment falls post‑subsidy expiration

The Maine Bureau of Insurance is reviewing proposals from four carriers that would raise individual‑market premiums by an average of 16.8%, with some plans facing up to a 34.8% increase. The steepest hike comes from Community Health Options, which would raise a family’s coverage from $263 a month to a much higher cost. Insurers cite rising medical expenses, inflation and the loss of pandemic‑era tax credits that have weakened the risk pool. "I didn’t know that the cost of care could get any worse," said Kennebunkport resident Kristin Fuhrmann‑Simmons, whose family’s premiums have already surged.

In neighboring New Hampshire, enrollment in the ACA marketplace dropped 4.1% for 2026, falling to about 73,090 sign‑ups from a record 76,251 the previous year. State officials attribute the decline to the expiration of federal subsidies at the end of 2025, even though New Hampshire enjoys some of the lowest benchmark premiums in the country. Andrew Demers of the New Hampshire Insurance Department noted the market remains competitive but that affordability remains a challenge. The enrollment dip mirrors a national trend of more than one million fewer ACA enrollments in 2026, while nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut have seen growth after allocating state funds to offset the subsidy loss.