2027 Health Insurance Premiums: 15% Increases Are Locking In — What to Do Before November

The 2027 marketplace premium picture is nearly complete, and it's not pretty. Across 276 insurers in all 50 states plus DC, the median increase is about 15% — the second straight year of double-digit hikes — and roughly half of states have already finalized rates near that level. Here's what's driving it, and the moves you can make before Open Enrollment opens November 1 to keep your costs down.

Prescription drugs and money — the rising costs behind 2027 health insurance premiums

By Health Insurance Network Team

Quick Answer: How Big Are the 2027 Increases?

Across filings from 276 insurers in all 50 states plus DC, the median increase for 2027 is about 15% — on top of 2026's roughly 26% sticker increase. Roughly half of states have already finalized their rates, and approved increases are landing close to what insurers asked for. The remaining states finalize through October. Your best defense: don't auto-renew, recheck your subsidy eligibility, and compare every carrier in your ZIP when Open Enrollment starts November 1, 2026.

Where the 2027 Rates Stand

Insurers filed their proposed 2027 ACA marketplace premiums in July, and state regulators have been reviewing and approving them through the fall. The picture — now drawn from 276 insurers across all 50 states and the District of Columbia — looks like this:

The median increase is about 15% — a second consecutive year of double-digit hikes
Roughly half of states have finalized rates, with the weighted average increase also around 15%
Most insurers are raising rates in the 10–20% range
Typical premiums will be up more than a third between 2025 and 2027

That last point is the one worth sitting with. This isn't one bad year — it's a compounding trend. 2026 brought a sticker increase of roughly 26%, and 2027 stacks another double-digit increase on top of it.

Why Premiums Keep Climbing

Two forces are doing most of the work here, and neither is going away on its own.

Medical costs themselves are rising fast. Insurers project the underlying cost of care — hospitalizations, physician visits, and prescription drugs — to rise about 10% for 2027. Prescription spending is a standout, driven by GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy and by expensive specialty drugs. When the care itself costs more, premiums follow.

The risk pool got sicker. When the enhanced subsidies expired, roughly 5 million people left the marketplace — and they were disproportionately the healthy ones, the people who only bought coverage because it was cheap. The people who stayed tend to need their insurance more. Insurers estimate this sicker pool added about 4 percentage points to 2026 premiums, and they expect roughly another 4 points in 2027. Fewer healthy people sharing the costs means everyone left pays more.

How Final Are These Numbers?

As of late September, roughly half of states have completed their rate reviews and published final 2027 premiums — and the approved increases are landing very close to what insurers requested, averaging about 15%. The remaining states finalize through October, in time for Open Enrollment. Regulators sometimes shave a point or two off a filing, but nothing in the reviews so far suggests the overall picture changes.

Your own renewal notice, which arrives this fall, will show your plan's actual approved increase — which makes what you do between now and November matter more than usual.

The auto-renew trap

Insurers don't raise rates evenly — one carrier might ask for 8% while another in the same county asks for 25%. That means the plan that was the best deal this year often isn't next year. If you let your plan auto-renew without comparing, you could quietly absorb one of the biggest increases in your market without ever knowing a cheaper option was sitting right next to it.

What to Do Before November

Mark November 1, 2026 on your calendar. That's when Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage starts — your window to switch plans with no qualifying event needed. By then, final approved rates will be published, so you'll be comparing real prices.
Refuse to auto-renew. Treat your renewal notice as a starting point, not a decision. Compare it against every other plan available in your ZIP code.
Recheck your subsidy eligibility — every year. Income limits scale with household size, and your situation may have changed. Plenty of people paying full price would qualify for help if they reapplied.
Look at Bronze and Catastrophic plans. Both carry lower premiums, and both became HSA-eligible in 2026 — so you can pair a cheaper plan with tax-advantaged savings for out-of-pocket costs.
Have a licensed advisor run the numbers. Comparing every carrier, subsidy scenario, and plan tier is exactly what advisors do all day — and the help is free.

The Bottom Line

A second straight year of double-digit increases is bad news, but it's not a verdict on what you will pay. The filed rates still have to survive regulator review, subsidies rise alongside benchmark premiums, and carriers raise prices unevenly enough that shopping around almost always finds a better deal than standing still. The people who get hurt worst by years like this are the ones who never open their renewal notice. Don't be one of them — compare everything when November 1 arrives.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much are health insurance premiums going up in 2027?

Across filings from 276 insurers in all 50 states plus DC, the median increase for 2027 ACA marketplace plans is about 15%. Roughly half of states have now finalized their rates, and the weighted average increase in those states is also sitting around 15% — so the final numbers are landing very close to what insurers requested. Most insurers are raising rates between 10% and 20%.

Are these increases final?

About half are. As of late September 2026, roughly half of states have finalized their 2027 rates, and the approved increases are averaging about 15% — close to what insurers requested. The remaining states will publish final rates through October, before Open Enrollment starts November 1. Your renewal notice will reflect your state's approved rate.

Why are premiums rising again after 2026's big increase?

Two main drivers. First, underlying medical costs are projected to rise about 10% for 2027 — hospitalizations, physician visits, and prescription drugs including GLP-1s and specialty medications. Second, the risk pool got sicker: after enhanced subsidies expired, roughly 5 million people — disproportionately healthy ones — left the market, and insurers are pricing for the sicker pool that remains.

How much have premiums risen over the last few years combined?

Typical marketplace premiums will be up more than a third between 2025 and 2027 — 2026 brought a sticker increase of roughly 26%, and 2027 rates add a median of about 15% on top of that.

Will my subsidy protect me from the increase?

Possibly — subsidies are tied to the cost of the benchmark plan in your area, so when premiums rise, subsidies generally rise too. But the enhanced subsidies have expired, so fewer people qualify and the help is smaller than it was. Recheck your eligibility every year: income limits scale with household size, and many people who assume they don't qualify actually do.

Should I just let my plan auto-renew?

No — this is the single most expensive mistake people make. Insurers raise rates unevenly, so the plan that was cheapest this year often isn't next year. Comparing every carrier in your ZIP code at Open Enrollment takes an hour or two and routinely saves hundreds of dollars a year.

When can I switch plans for 2027?

Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage starts November 1, 2026. That's your window to compare every plan in your area and switch without needing a qualifying life event. Mark the date — final approved rates will be published by then, so you'll be shopping with real numbers.

What if I can't afford the higher premiums?

You have options. Bronze and Catastrophic plans carry lower premiums, and both became HSA-eligible in 2026 — so you can pair them with tax-advantaged savings for out-of-pocket costs. Recheck your subsidy eligibility, compare all carriers, and consider having a licensed advisor run the numbers for you — that help is free.

Don't Absorb a 15% Increase Without a Fight

Rate hikes hit unevenly — the right move for your neighbor might be the wrong one for you. Our licensed advisors can compare every carrier in your area, recheck your subsidy eligibility, and flag cheaper plan tiers before Open Enrollment closes. It's free, and it routinely saves people hundreds a year.