The enhanced credits are gone. Now what?
The enhanced ACA premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025. If you are self-employed, re-run your Marketplace numbers with a realistic income estimate before January 15, 2027, check for state help, and compare any cheaper plan on what it leaves out, not just on price.
Sam to confirm: review and sign off on this guide
What changed
Premium tax credits help people pay for Marketplace coverage. A larger, temporary version expired at the end of 2025. Here is what KFF has reported:
- Premium payments rose an average of 58% in 2026, from $113 to $178 a month, across all consumers (KFF, May 2026).
- That is lower than the 114% rise KFF projected for subsidized enrollees who stayed in the same plan. KFF says many people moved to higher-deductible plans, and those just past the subsidy cliff dropped coverage at higher rates.
- Before the change, KFF's example of the cliff was a 60-year-old couple earning $85,000, estimated to pay over $22,600 more in 2026.
Averages hide a lot. Your numbers will differ, which is the reason to run them.
Why this hits self-employed people hard
You pay the whole premium with no employer sharing it, and a good year can push you above the income line. Marketplace savings use your estimated net income for the year you are getting coverage. The credit gets reconciled when you file your taxes, so an optimistic guess in one direction can mean paying some or all of it back.
What to do, in order
1. Estimate your net income honestly
Start with last year's net profit, then adjust for what you already know about the coming year. Net means after business expenses.
2. Run the Marketplace numbers
Use HealthCare.gov or your state's site. Do not assume last year's plan is still the right one or that you no longer qualify for anything.
3. Check your state
Some states added their own help. For 2027, Maryland says residents with incomes up to 400% of the poverty level may qualify for Maryland Premium Assistance.
4. Compare the alternatives on what they leave out
Plans outside the Marketplace may cost less, but the savings often come from asking health questions and covering less. The Maryland Insurance Administration warns that short-term plans may deny or limit coverage based on your answers. Read when an underwritten plan is the wrong choice before you switch.
5. Watch the dates
For 2027 coverage, HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment ends January 15, 2027, and you need to enroll by December 15 for a January 1 start. In Maryland, the same window applies, with December 31 as the date for a January 1 start. Other states may differ.
"...we are not denying that there is a need for the current marketplace plans. We just offer alternative insurance options for healthy or physically fit people."