Paying a Premium: Michigan Families Brace for Another Year of Rising Health Insurance Costs

Open enrollment for Affordable Care Act health insurance plans is just a few weeks away, beginning on November 1. But for nearly 800,000 Michigan enrollees, this means health care premiums could once again increase. Health insurance companies participating in the ACA are proposing a median 15% increase in premiums in 2027, after enrollees’ premiums already jumped an average of 58% nationally in 2026.  

“With health care being so expensive, I’m dipping into the money I need to cover groceries and other living expenses just to keep my coverage,” said Diane, an MI-07 resident who has health care coverage through the ACA. “Now open enrollment is around the corner and I'm nervous about another increase and what that will do to my family’s budget. Every year it gets harder to afford the insurance we depend on, but it shouldn't be such a struggle just to cover doctors’ appointments and prescriptions.” 

Health insurance premiums have been on the rise since Republicans in Congress allowed the enhanced health care tax credits to expire in December 2025. In January, Michigan Representatives Tom Barrett (MI-07), John James (MI-10), and Bill Huizenga (MI-04) voted against restoring the tax credits. The credits had previously lowered monthly health insurance premiums for millions of Americans. But with premiums up, ACA enrollment is dropping, and fewer Michigan families are getting the health care coverage they need.