Berkshire Residents Brace For Health Insurance Sticker Shock

If you buy health insurance through the Massachusetts Health Connector, brace yourself. Your premiums are about to jump - potentially more than double - starting January 1st. Not all will be affected, however, I was a lucky one.

Affordable Care Act Subsidies Expiring

Enhanced federal subsidies that have kept health insurance affordable since 2021 expire on December 31st. Unless Congress acts in the next two weeks, 337,000 Massachusetts residents will see their costs rise dramatically. And people are already dropping coverage. Yes, dropping coverage - forgoing insurance altogether and subjecting themselves to a fine when they file their FY26 taxes.

The Health Connector reported that 10,000 people canceled their plans for 2026 in just the first month of open enrollment. So how bad is it? Let's look at real numbers. A single person earning $62,600 a year could lose their subsidies entirely. A couple making $84,240? Same story. A family of four earning $128,400? They're now on the hook for the full cost. -wbur.org

According to national estimates, subsidized enrollees currently pay an average of $888 annually for premiums. Without the enhanced tax credits, that jumps to $1,904 - a 114% increase. But it gets worse for some people. Older adults not yet eligible for Medicare could see even steeper hikes.

What people are saying locally in The Berkshires

The subsidies are caught up in the ongoing political fight in Washington. Democrats want to extend them. Republicans are blocking it. And while Congress debates, real people are making impossible choices about whether they can afford coverage. What can you do? Congress can absolutely extend the subsidies, even after January 1, 2026. Will they? Will the government shutdown again?

If you get insurance through the Health Connector, check your 2026 rates now. Massachusetts has been sending out notifications, so look for that letter. Open enrollment runs through December, but if you want coverage starting January 1st, many states have a December 15th deadline.

Advocacy for Access

If these numbers will strain your budget, start planning now. You've got less than two weeks. You can always contact "Advocacy for Access" in Pittsfield and Great Barrington with questions - they are super helpful, I talk with them every year.