Pa. health insurance rates set to spike
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Rates for Pennsylvania's Affordable Care Act insurance plans will jump significantly if Congress doesn't pass tax credits before this weekend.
Why it matters: Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department released its 2026 rates for its marketplace, Pennie, if nothing changes before the start of open enrollment on Nov. 1.
By the numbers: Pennie plans will increase an average of 21.5%, according to the insurance department.
Zoom in: Some Pittsburgh-area counties will be hit especially hard, according to TribLive.
- Allegheny County will see average plans increase by 75%, or $125, a month.
- Armstrong County plans will jump 103%, or $146, a month, both the most of any county in the region.
- Fayette County rates will increase the least in the region, but still grow by 44%, or $90, a month.
Context: The federal government has offered enhanced tax credits to subsidize Affordable Care Act plans since 2021 after passing the American Rescue Plan and then the Inflation Reduction Act under former President Biden.
Between the lines: The tax credits keep plans cheaper for people making close to the federal poverty level. Which health insurance provider you use also impacts the rates.
Pro tip: KFF has a tool to help you calculate how much your rates will increase.
Reminder: Premiums for this year are unchanged regardless of Congress, according to the Pennie website.
State of play: There is still time to extend the tax credits before the deadline, but Republicans have signaled they want to see changes to the subsidies which make that possibility much murkier, reports Axios' Peter Sullivan.