Insurers across the country have filed their first proposed rates for 2027 — and the median request is a 14% premium increase, according to a KFF analysis of preliminary filings from 77 insurers in 16 states and Washington, D.C. Most requests fall between 10% and 20%, and 20 insurers asked for more than 20%. If regulators approve anything close to these numbers, marketplace premiums will have risen by more than a third since 2025.

Worried about what your plan will cost next year? I’m a licensed agent in 31 states — I’ll compare your marketplace renewal against private options for free, before Open Enrollment locks you in. Get your free quote, book a 30-minute call, or call/text 954-501-5554.

I’m a licensed health insurance agent in 31 states, and here’s the honest version of what these filings mean: nothing is final yet — states negotiate these rates down every year — but the direction is not in question. Costs are going one way, and the people who plan before November will have better options than the people who open their renewal letter in December.

Why premiums keep climbing

The filings cite the same drivers across nearly every state:

• Medical costs themselves are up about 10% — hospital care, physician wages, and prescription drugs, especially GLP-1 medications.
• The risk pool got sicker. When the enhanced subsidies expired at the end of 2025, many healthy people dropped coverage. The people who stayed use more care, and everyone remaining shares that cost — analysts estimate this alone adds roughly 4 percentage points in both 2026 and 2027.
• New federal rules (the Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Rule) change enrollment and verification requirements, and insurers price in the uncertainty.

None of these reverse on their own. This is the second straight year of steep increases, not a one-year spike.

Who gets hit hardest

If you receive a subsidy, subsidies absorb part of the increase. The full 14% lands on people who pay sticker price:

• Anyone over the subsidy cliff — earn a dollar past 400% of the federal poverty level and you pay the entire premium yourself. If your income sits near the line, read how the 2026 subsidy cliff works before you assume anything.
• Self-employed and 1099 workers with variable income — the marketplace’s estimate-and-reconcile model punishes income swings; a big year can turn into a subsidy repayment bill at tax time.
• People whose carrier is also leaving. Cigna is exiting the exchanges in 11 states for 2027 (what Cigna members need to know), and several regional carriers are following. If that’s you, you’re not choosing between your plan and a cheaper plan — you’re choosing between strangers.

What to actually do before November

1. Don’t wait for the renewal letter. Final rates get approved in late summer and early fall. By the time your letter arrives, Open Enrollment (November 1 – December 15) is already moving.
2. Run the marketplace-vs-private comparison while you have time. Private plans are health-based, not income-based — for healthy families over the subsidy cliff, they’re often meaningfully cheaper, and you can enroll year-round. Start with the 5-question checklist on whether to leave the marketplace.
3. If you’re staying on the marketplace, still shop. The 14% is a median — your specific plan’s increase could be higher, and switching plans inside the marketplace is free.
4. Know your state’s picture. Filings vary a lot by state. Check your state’s private health insurance page for what’s available where you live.

The bottom line

A proposed rate is not a final rate — but two years of double-digit filings is a trend, not a headline. The cheapest thing you can do about 2027 costs nothing: get your real numbers early, from both sides of the market, and decide with time to spare instead of under a deadline.

Want your 2027 numbers before Open Enrollment? Free comparison, no pressure, in English, Portuguese, or Spanish. Request your free quote or book a call with me — or call/text 954-501-5554.

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