www.nytimes.com /2026/01/02/opinion/contributors/aca-subsidies-expiring.html

Opinion | A.C.A. Subsidies Have Expired. How Are You Affording Health Care?

Alex Ellerbeck 3-3 minutes 1/2/2026

A close-up photo of a hospital waiting room sign, with a blurry background with a person inside.
Credit...Sara J. Winston for The New York Times

Despite a government shutdown and months of political fighting over health care, Congress failed to reach a deal last year to extend enhanced subsidies for health insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. As a result, more than 20 million Americans are seeing higher premiums this year.

Health care economists worry that the higher costs will cause healthier people to drop their insurance plans altogether, leading to an insurance risk pool that is sicker, on average, and raising costs even further.

The political battles aren’t over: Four politically vulnerable House Republicans recently joined with Democrats to force a vote on extending the subsidies, but the effort is considered a long shot; even if it passes the House, it’s expected to fail in the Senate. In the meantime, millions of Americans are grappling with higher bills.

For a forthcoming project, Times Opinion invites readers who have been affected by the expiring subsidies to tell us what changes, if any, they’re seeing in their premium bills and how they’re navigating those changes. An editor will get in touch with you before we publish any part of your submission.

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