Michigan Families Will Face Higher Health Costs Again This Open Enrollment Season

Affordable Care Act open enrollment beginning on November 1 should give Michigan families the opportunity to sign up for low-cost health insurance plans. But after Republicans in Congress allowed the health care tax credits to expire to offset tax breaks for the wealthy in the Republican Tax Law, Michiganders are instead readying for another round of premium increases, with insurers expected to implement a 14.5% premium increase on average.  

“Premiums went up this past year, and between higher health care costs and the rising prices of everything from gas to food, it’s been difficult to make ends meet,” said Diane, an ACA enrollee in Michigan's 7th Congressional District. “If my premium increases for next year, I don’t know what else I can cut from my budget. It shouldn’t be this hard just to afford health care.” 

After the health care tax credits expired at the end of 2025, health insurance premiums skyrocketed, with Michigan enrollees facing an average annual premium increase of 69% in 2026. When the House of Representatives voted on restoring the health care tax credits in January, Michigan Reps. Bill Huizenga (MI-04), Tom Barrett (MI-07), and John James (MI-10) voted no. 

Amid the higher cost of these plans, fewer in Michigan have signed up for Affordable Care Act coverage in the last year, with enrollment dropping by 6.4%. And as open enrollment begins, coverage may drop further as fewer will be able to afford health insurance without the tax credits that were helping so many families.