ICYMI: Expiration of ACA Tax Credits Could Skyrocket Premiums for Kansans

In case you missed it, the Sunflower State Journal reported that health insurers providing coverage on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges for 200,000 Kansans are seeking rate increases for 2026. Across the nation, insurers are requesting average premium hikes of 18 percent, and because Congressional Republicans have refused to extend the enhanced ACA tax credits, premiums in Kansas could rise by $708, leaving thousands at risk of losing coverage.

These premium increases come as Congressional Republicans passed an extreme budget law that gave billionaires massive tax breaks while raising health care costs for millions of hardworking families. This disastrous choice, which Representative Sharice Davids voted against, could force children, seniors, people with disabilities, and single parents to choose between putting food on the table or accessing the care they need.

Davids has been a consistent advocate for protecting ACA tax credits and making health care more affordable. She supported legislation to extend these critical premium reductions and supports making them permanent, ensuring that Kansans — especially those with chronic conditions, small business owners, and families — can keep their coverage and avoid devastating cost increases.

Read more in the Sunflower State Journal: Insurers seeking rate hikes for Kansas ACA coverage; key tax credit set to lapse

“Health insurers that provide coverage on the Affordable Care Act exchanges for 200,000 Kansans are seeking rate increases for 2026, reflecting a trend seen nationally with the future of an enhanced tax credit to offset premium costs in doubt.

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“Health care think tank KFF reports that for 2026, the median proposed premium increase for 312 insurers nationally is 18%, about 11 percentage points higher than for 2025. KFF reports that it is the largest rate change insurers have requested since 2018.

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“The rate increases come at a time when the enhanced premium tax credit to cover the cost of premiums on the exchange is set to expire by the end of the year if they’re not extended by Congress, potentially causing millions to fall off the insurance rolls.

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“Since the enhanced tax credits were approved, enrollment in the ACA exchanges has skyrocketed. Last year, Kansas set a record for the number of people enrolled in an insurance plan available from the Affordable Care Act.

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“Those numbers are expected to drop off with the elimination of the tax credit. KFF estimates that between 41,000 and 68,000 Kansans will drop off the rolls over the next decade because of the loss of the enhanced tax credit coupled with rules that are intended to strengthen the eligibility determination process.

“If the enhanced subsidies are not renewed, the premiums for people enrolled in an ACA plan would increase by more than 75% nationally on average, with people in some states seeing their payments more than double, KFF reported.

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“U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, meanwhile, cosponsored a bill in 2023 to extend the enhanced tax credit.

“‘Federal Republicans refused to extend health care premium cuts for hardworking Kansans, yet gave billionaires tax breaks in their extreme budget — driving premiums up by $708 a year for Kansas families and limiting access to care,’ Davids said in a statement.

“‘That means children, seniors, people with disabilities, and single parents could be forced to choose between putting food on the table and getting the care they need,’ she said. ‘That’s plain wrong, and I’m pushing for bipartisan solutions because this affects every Kansan, no matter their political party.’”