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2026 update: Florida health insurance premiums increased an average of 30–35% after the enhanced ACA premium tax credits expired December 31, 2025. Some plans increased 60%+. This page explains what happened and what your options are.
If your 2026 health insurance renewal notice showed a major premium increase, you're not alone. Enhanced ACA subsidies expired December 2025, pushing millions of Florida premiums up 30–35%. Here's what happened, and exactly what your options are right now.
The spike has two causes. The first is the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits introduced by the American Rescue Plan in 2021 and extended by the Inflation Reduction Act through 2025. These credits had been reducing Florida ACA premiums by $100–$400/month for many enrollees. On December 31, 2025, they expired — and the subsidy calculation reverted to the original 2010 ACA formula, which is less generous.
The second cause is underlying medical cost inflation. Florida insurance carriers filed for significant rate increases with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation for 2026. The average approved increase was 30–35%, with individual plans increasing as much as 60%+.
The combination means a Floridian who was paying $350/month in 2025 may now owe $500–$600/month for the same plan in 2026. For many Floridians, that's an additional $1,800–$3,000 per year.
2026 Florida Premium Increase Summary
Healthy, above subsidy threshold
Savings: 30–50% less than unsubsidized ACA
Trade-off: Requires health underwriting
Healthy, missed open enrollment, need immediate coverage
Savings: Often 25–40% less than ACA
Trade-off: Not ACA-compliant, no pre-existing coverage
Already subsidized, want lower premium
Savings: $100–$300/month dropping Gold → Bronze
Trade-off: Higher deductible if you use care
Income dropped since last enrollment
Savings: Potentially hundreds/month if income changed
Trade-off: Must update income during SEP or next OEP
Most affected
Floridians earning 200–400% FPL who were heavily subsidized under the enhanced credits. Those plans now cost significantly more. Self-employed people above the subsidy threshold also seeing full pass-through of rate increases.
Moderately affected
Floridians at 100–200% FPL still receive meaningful subsidies but the calculation is smaller. Net premium increase is real but somewhat cushioned by the remaining tax credit.
Least affected
Floridians with income below 150% FPL often still qualify for $0-premium Silver plans under the benchmark subsidy formula. Those with employer-sponsored coverage saw no change from ACA credit expiration.
Use our Subsidy Estimator to see what subsidy you're eligible for in 2026 based on your current income. If your income changed, your subsidy may have too.
Run subsidy estimateBook a free call with Philip. He'll pull your current plan details, compare private alternatives, and tell you exactly which option is cheapest for your situation in under 15 minutes.
Book free comparisonIf you're in good health, a private underwritten PPO can cost 30–50% less than your ACA plan. Philip will assess whether you'd qualify for underwriting before wasting time on an application.
Learn about private PPOTwo factors drove the 2026 premium spike in Florida: (1) The enhanced premium tax credits from the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act expired on December 31, 2025. These credits had been supplementing ACA subsidies since 2021, reducing premiums by hundreds of dollars per month for millions of Floridians. Their expiration raised the subsidy calculation back to the original ACA formula — less generous for most income levels. (2) Underlying medical cost inflation, which Florida carriers passed through in their 2026 rate filings. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation approved an average increase of 30–35%, with some plans rising 60%+.
You have several alternatives depending on your income and health history: (1) Private medically-underwritten plans — for healthy adults, these typically cost 30–50% less than unsubsidized ACA plans and can be purchased any time of year; (2) TriTerm medical insurance — Florida-specific, up to 36 months on the UHC PPO network, no enrollment window; (3) Re-run your subsidy calculation — if your income dropped, you may now qualify for more subsidy than your plan was applying; (4) Switch plan tiers — if you're on Gold or Silver and rarely use care, a Bronze plan dramatically reduces your monthly premium at the cost of a higher deductible. Philip will compare every option for your situation at no cost.
No — ACA premium tax credits did not end, but the enhanced credits did expire. The original ACA subsidy formula still applies for Floridians earning between 100% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (~$15,650–$62,600 for a single person in 2026). What expired were the additional credits layered on top by the American Rescue Plan (2021) and Inflation Reduction Act (2022), which had made plans cheaper for many Floridians — especially those earning 200–400% FPL. Without those enhanced credits, the baseline ACA subsidies are smaller, resulting in higher net premiums.
For healthy adults earning above the subsidy threshold, yes. Private medically-underwritten PPO plans available in Florida can cost 30–50% less per month than an unsubsidized ACA Silver plan for the same person. A healthy 40-year-old in Tampa who was paying $520/month for ACA Silver in 2025 and is now facing $700+/month in 2026 might qualify for a private PPO at $280–$350/month. These plans require medical underwriting (your health history matters), can be purchased any time of year, and often include the UnitedHealthcare or Cigna nationwide PPO network.
The cheapest plan depends on your income. If you qualify for ACA subsidies, a subsidized Bronze plan may cost $0–$50/month. If you don't qualify for subsidies and are in good health, a private medically-underwritten plan or TriTerm plan will likely be cheaper than an unsubsidized ACA Bronze plan. TriTerm options start around $150–$200/month for younger healthy adults. Private plans can start as low as $130–$200/month. Oscar Health, Ambetter, and Health First offer the cheapest unsubsidized ACA plans in Florida according to 2026 rate filings.
Philip Smith · Licensed Florida Insurance Agent
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