LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Kentucky advocates for health insurance accessibility are walking clients through “sticker shock” as open enrollment in the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace shows the anticipated premium increases.
According to Kentucky Voices for Health Outreach and Enrollment Director Priscilla Easterling, over 100,000 people across the Commonwealth enrolled in Kynect, Kentucky’s ACA marketplace, in 2025. Kynect allows many families to shop for the most affordable healthcare coverage and offers enhanced premium tax credits for out-of-pocket costs.
Easterling said those people received notifications in early October that health insurance premiums were expected to increase for next year. Kynect opened enrollment for 2026 coverage on Nov. 1, and, on average, the coverage plan options increased by $181 per month for Kentucky families.
“One of the big things that most people experience is going to be sticker shock,” said Easterling.
The premium increases come as Republicans and Democrats in Congress remain deadlocked over the federal budget since early October. One key issue is whether to extend the enhanced premium tax credits that were set to expire at the end of this year.
Families have most recently relied on enhanced subsidies since 2021. Now, Easterling said the uncertainty about who will be able to afford health care in 2026 contributed to insurance companies raising their rates.
“Our food and gas and electric, everything is increasing pretty significantly, and here is yet another place where that extra $181 in somebody’s budget will make or break for a lot of folks,” Easterling said.
Typically, 90% of Kentuckians who use Kynect automatically enroll in the same plan each year, according to Easterling. She’s advising families this year to take a hard look at their budgets and available plans before committing to a specific coverage.
Insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act have an out-of-pocket maximum for policyholders. Easterling said it might be worth it for some families to have a high deductible and meet that maximum, rather than pay in full for an unexpected medical bill.
“This is a really good year to really stop and do that assessment and analysis of what plans are out there, what should I look at, what’s going to protect me, myself, and my family, and still provide us enough coverage and security in our budget,” said Easterling.
Easterling said she’s concerned for the people who might have to choose to be uninsured.
Kynect had a record number of enrollees throughout 2025. Easterling believes that stemmed from more people finding more affordable coverage on the marketplace.
She said she hopes members of Congress will decide not only to continue the subsidies but instead make them permanent.
“We see the value. More people are getting insured and more people are being covered, which only means that more people have access to be able to go to the doctor,” she said.
For health insurance coverage to start Jan. 1, 2026, people must enroll by Dec. 15.
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