NEW REPORT: Arizonans Will Face Premium Increases of Up to This Open Enrollment Period

Expiration of ACA Tax Credits Resulted in Fewer Covered Arizonans, Higher Premiums

TUCSON —  A new Honest Arizona report details how Arizonans will face massive premium increases during the upcoming Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment period that begins November 1 due to the loss of the ACA tax credits last year.

Nearly 380,000 Arizonans benefited from those tax credits in 2025, which were meant to help lower income Americans afford health care. All six Arizona Congressional Republicans, including Juan Ciscomani, voted against extending the health care tax credits in 2025. 

According to Honest Arizona's report:

“Congressional Republicans allowed those enhanced credits to expire at the end of 2025. Hundreds of thousands of Arizonans were forced to pay significantly higher premiums or drop their health care altogether. In January, Congress had an opportunity to extend the credits for three more years. The bill passed 230-196, but every Republican member of Arizona’s delegation voted against extending the credits. Since then, Arizonans have faced rising premiums and record high deductibles, and the outlook for 2027 is looking even worse.

Based on insurers’ proposed rate changes, premiums are poised to rise again. In August, ACA Marketplace insurers’ requested rate changes for 2027 were made public. Rates are the underlying costs used to calculate premiums for a specific insurance plan. They vary based on factors such as an applicant’s age, ZIP code, smoking status, and family size. Nationally, ACA Marketplace insurers are proposing a median rate increase of 15% in 2027, after already rising an average of 22% this year. Here in Arizona, some proposals go well beyond that. Six major Arizona insurers proposed rate changes of over 24%:

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona, Inc. - 29.59%

  • Health Net Community Solutions of Arizona Inc - 27.96%

  • Health Net of Arizona, Inc. - 24.55%

  • Imperial Insurance Companies, Inc. - 30.08%

  • Oscar Health Plan, Inc. - 33.90%

  • UnitedHealthcare of Arizona, Inc. - 28.63%

These higher premiums will be felt across the state, but will be especially concentrated for small business owners, farmers, and ranchers.”

The full report is available online HERE.

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Advancing AZ