Pennsylvania ACA Enrollment Opens With Premium Hikes
Average premiums rise 15.97% for individuals and 10.28% for small businesses as enhanced federal tax credits expire.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Healthcare
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Open enrollment for Affordable Care Act coverage in 2027 began in Pennsylvania on November 1, 2026. The Pennsylvania Department of Insurance approved average premium increases of 15.97% for individual purchasers and 10.28% for small businesses.
Why it matters
The expiration of enhanced federal tax credits at the end of 2025 doubled prices for Pennie enrollees, and roughly 85,000 people dropped coverage. Pennsylvanians who still qualify for credits may face significantly higher costs without them.
The Pennsylvania Department of Insurance approved average increases of 15.97% for individual ACA premiums and 10.28% for small-business premiums, with about 400,000 Pennsylvanians currently enrolled through Pennie. The impact on enrollment after the premium increases remains unclear.
The players
Pennsylvania Department of Insurance
The state agency that regulates insurance in Pennsylvania and approved the average ACA premium increases for individual and small-business plans.
Pennie
Pennsylvania's state-based health insurance marketplace, where residents shop for and enroll in Affordable Care Act coverage.
The details
Enhanced federal tax credits expired at the end of 2025, and the expiration doubled prices for Pennie enrollees. Enrollees can update their Pennie application during open enrollment to provide current income information, and those who receive more tax credits than they qualify for must repay them at tax time.
Timeline
End of 2025: Enhanced federal tax credits expired.
September 2026: Pennsylvania approved ACA premium rate increases.
November 1, 2026: ACA open enrollment began in Pennsylvania.
December 15, 2026: ACA open enrollment ends.
January 1, 2027: ACA coverage for the 2027 plan year begins.
Roadmap
The expiration of enhanced federal premium tax credits at the end of 2025 is the reason Pennsylvania's ACA premiums are rising sharply for 2027. Those credits had lowered what subsidized enrollees paid, and their loss is pushing many people out of the marketplace.
Residents who buy coverage through Pennie should check whether their income information is current, since updating their application during open enrollment can affect the credits they receive. Those who receive more tax credits than they qualify for will have to repay the difference at tax time.
The takeaway
Enrollees who want to keep their costs down should update their Pennie application before open enrollment closes, because accurate current income drives the size of the tax credit. Reviewing coverage options before December 15 can help avoid a gap in coverage.
What happens next
ACA open enrollment ends December 15, 2026, and Medicare open enrollment runs through December 7, 2026. Coverage for the 2027 plan year begins January 1, 2027.
Further reading
For more on the broader industry, explore Healthcare coverage tracking Pennsylvania's marketplace changes.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Pittsburgh's Action News 4.
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