Big Increases in Health Insurance Premiums for 2026

Contact Your Elected Officials

Health insurance premiums are set to spike in 2026—driven by rising medical costs, pricey drugs, and the expiration of ACA subsidies.

Whether your health insurance coverage is part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or not, you can expect a hefty premium increase in 2026. For example, insurers in New York are filing premium rate increases that range from a modest 0.9 percent to a hefty 66.4 percent, according to insurance services firm Certifi.

Why do insurance premiums continue to increase? Will this force healthy individuals to forgo insurance and take their chances?

Rising Cost of Health Care

Medical inflation contributes to the increase in health insurance costs. According to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, the price of medical care has increased by 121.3 percent since 2000. This includes services, drugs, and medical equipment.

Factors that contribute to these costs include an aging population (which contributes to increased use), technological advances, administrative costs, profit margins, and specialty medications.

According to the Health System Tracker, overall health costs typically outpace growth in the rest of the economy.

Aging Population Contributes to Higher Premiums

In 2023, there were 56 million Americans over 65, according to the Administration for Community Living. This number is projected to swell to 94.7 million by 2060. According to the National Institute on Aging, 60 percent of these older adults have two or more chronic conditions. This adds to the strain on and cost of health care.

Technological Advances Save Lives but Not Money

Better procedures that come from advanced health care technology may be better, but they also cost more. And over time, these latest technologies account for 38–62 percent of the increase in health care insurance costs.

GLP-1s and Specialty Medications

There’s a growing demand for specialty medications, such as Ozempic and Wegovy. This contributes to increased prescription drug spending. For example, the standard list price for Ozempic is $997.58 per month, according to Novocare, the company that owns the patent on it.

Novocare also owns Wegovy, which has a list price of $1,349.02 per month. Both GLP-1 drugs are used for diabetes treatment and weight loss.

Insurers expect script mix to increase by 7 percent in 2026.

In response to these costs, insurers are either increasing premiums or are beginning to remove coverage for GLP-1s for weight-loss purposes, resulting in a decrease in premiums.

By Anne Johnson

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

If Federal Food Assistance Programs End, Theft Begins

Many patriotic Americans well versed in American History have...

Tucker EN FUEGO: Taking Stock of MAGA, Ten Years on

Draining of the Swamp has yet to come anything close to fruition, as the creatures that populate said Swamp yet cling bitterly to power.

Tylenol’s Headache

When President Trump, RFK Jr., and Dr. Mehmet Oz called for pregnant women to avoid using acetaminophen, Tylenol got the headache.

American Restaurants Are Going Broke

U.S. restaurant bankruptcies surged to 22% in 2020 amid COVID-19 and stayed elevated at 14% last year due to Biden’s “Build Back Better” policy.

A Few Fun Alternatives to the”Gory Stuff” at Halloween

Halloween has gone off the rails with gore through the decades.  But there are ways to enjoy the "scary stuff" without giving into darker, pagan alliances.  

US Sending Carrier Strike Group to Latin America, Pentagon Says

The Pentagon on Friday announced the deployment of an aircraft carrier to Latin America to target drug trafficking organizations.

Garland, Wray Among Officials Who Signed Off on ‘Arctic Frost’ Probe Targeting Conservatives

Former AG Garland and ex-FBI Director Wray approved the “Arctic Frost” probe targeting top conservatives, Senate records reveal.

FBI Confirms 10 Missing Children, Teens Rescued in Hawaii Joint Operation

State and federal authorities announced on Thursday that an operation in Hawaii resulted in the rescue of 10 missing children and teens earlier this month.

New York AG Letitia James Pleads Not Guilty to Mortgage Fraud Charges

New York Attorney General Letitia James pleaded not guilty to mortgage fraud charges during an Oct. 24 arraignment in Norfolk, Virginia.

Trump Pardons Convicted Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao, White House Confirms

Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, convicted of money laundering two years ago while leading the global cryptocurrency exchange.

Trump Calls off Meeting With Putin, White House Says

White House says Secretary Rubio and Russia’s Lavrov had a productive call; no further meetings or Trump-Putin talks are planned soon.

President Signs Rare Earth Agreement With Australia’s PM

President Trump hosted Australian PM Albanese at the White House, where both leaders signed a new agreement on rare earth mineral cooperation.

Trump Says Insurrection Act Is ‘Strongest Power a President Has’

President Trump detailed plans to invoke the Insurrection Act to address rampant crime, calling it the “strongest power a president has.”
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central