Obamacare premiums are projected to jump by double digits next year, adding another painful expense for millions of Americans already confronting rising health care costs. The increase arrives as affordability remains a major economic concern among voters heading into the midterm elections.

The federal government on Friday published proposed 2027 insurance rates for 30 states whose marketplaces are managed by the federal government. KFF, a health research organization, analyzed the figures and found that average premiums in the Affordable Care Act marketplace are expected to rise by 13% next year.

The projected increase is not limited to Obamacare coverage. Premiums for employer plans could climb by about 10% in 2027, while premiums covering federal workers are also expected to rise by more than 10%.

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Those increases could sharpen an issue already weighing heavily on voters. A KFF poll found that approximately 60% of registered voters were worried about their ability to afford health care for themselves and their families.

The Trump administration sent some Obamacare enrollees $500 checks this month as a one-time payment intended to help offset insurance costs. Broader medical expenses, however, continue climbing as industry analysts point to several factors driving the increases.

According to The New York Times, rising hospital prices are among the contributors to higher costs. The newspaper also cited higher payments resulting from changes to consumer protection laws that affect doctor compensation, along with the growing use of artificial intelligence.

Certain employers have drawn attention to the cost of expensive prescriptions. Those employers have identified GLP-1s and cancer drugs as factors contributing to rising health care bills.

The latest projected increase follows an even steeper rise in 2026. Premiums increased by an average of 26% that year, putting additional pressure on people buying coverage through the Obamacare marketplace.

Enrollment also dropped substantially as those costs climbed. KFF estimates that enrollment had fallen by nearly five million people as of June.

I thought Obamacare was supposed to fix everything.

— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) October 25, 2026

Open enrollment for health insurance begins on Sunday, putting the latest affordability concerns front and center for consumers weighing their coverage choices. An estimated 19.2 million people were enrolled in Obamacare coverage early this year.

Roughly 10% of those enrollees are older consumers who earn more than $63,840. Those consumers faced premium increases exceeding $1,000 a month in 2026.

The group represents a relatively small portion of overall Obamacare enrollment, but it is facing some of the sharpest cost increases. Cynthia Cox, the director of KFF’s ACA program, described the strain confronting those consumers.

“This is a really small number of people,” said Cynthia Cox, the director of KFF’s ACA program. “But these people are getting hit the hardest by rising health care costs, and they don’t get any help.”

Republican and Democratic lawmakers have traded blame over rising health care costs. Republican Senator Mike Lee responded to the report on X by arguing that Democratic proposals would deepen the same problems that have left Obamacare expensive and ineffective.

“Democrats will say skyrocketing premiums are a good reason to double down on the same policies that make Obamacare ineffective and unaffordable. They want a single-payer healthcare system run by DC bureaucrats. That’d make everything worse. Just say ‘no!’ Vote Republican.”

Democrats will say skyrocketing premiums are a good reason to double down on the same policies that make Obamacare ineffective and unaffordable.

They want a single-payer healthcare system run by DC bureaucrats. That’d make everything worse. Just say “no!” Vote Republican. — Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) October 31, 2026

With proposed marketplace premiums rising 13%, employer plan costs potentially climbing about 10%, and federal worker premiums increasing by more than 10%, the pressure stretches across several forms of coverage. The figures present voters with another costly reminder that Washington’s health care promises have not made the bills disappear.

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