US ACA Marketplace Faces Significant 2027 Premium Increases, Up to 22% in Some States

Health insurers have begun filing proposed premiums for the 2027 Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. Early data show large hikes, with Washington insurers requesting an average 22.4% increase for individual plans and Vermont filings showing a 6.5% rise. In Maine, individual‑market premiums would climb about 16.8% and small‑group rates about 15.7%.

The price pressure stems from rising medical costs, higher hospital and prescription‑drug expenses, and a shrinking, higher‑risk enrollee pool. The expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits at the end of last year has left some consumers fully exposed to the hikes, contributing to a drop in ACA enrollment that fell from roughly 65,000 in 2025 to 58,000 in 2026 in Maine. Several insurers, including Cigna, Providence Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Health Plan and PacificSource, have announced plans to exit individual ACA markets for 2027, potentially reducing competition and further influencing rates.

State regulators will review the submitted rates before final approval, typically later in the summer, after which open enrollment for 2027 plans begins on Nov. 1.