2026 Marketplace Plans and Prices: Key Takeaways for Agents

The Health Insurance Marketplace® Open Enrollment Period (OEP) for plan year 2026 will run from November 1, 2025, through January 15, 2026. As we look ahead, the latest Marketplace Plans and Prices Fact Sheet offers valuable insights into premium trends, issuer participation, and new plan options that may impact both consumers and agents helping clients navigate coverage.

📈 Average Premiums for 2026

The average HealthCare.gov premium after tax credits is projected to be $50 per month for the lowest-cost plan in 2026 among eligible enrollees. This marks a $13 increase from 2025, yet it still remains $20 lower than the average in 2020, before pandemic-era policies were introduced. Even with this slight increase, most enrollees will continue to benefit from significant financial assistance through advance payments of the premium tax credit (APTC), which continue to make Marketplace coverage broadly affordable.

💰 Premium Affordability Trends

The 2026 projections show that premium tax credits will continue to play a critical role in keeping plans accessible:

• On average, tax credits will cover 91% of the lowest-cost plan premium for eligible enrollees—matching 2025 levels and exceeding the 85% coverage seen in 2020.

• For a 50-year-old earning twice the federal poverty level, tax credits will cover 81% of the premium for a benchmark plan (down slightly from 93% in 2025).

• Nearly 60% of eligible re-enrollees will have access to a plan in their chosen metal tier for $50 or less after tax credits. While this is a drop from 83% in 2025, it remains higher than the 56% access rate in 2020.

Overall, these figures reflect a relatively stable and competitive Marketplace environment, with affordability levels still stronger than pre-pandemic benchmarks.

🏢 Issuer Participation and Plan Choices

The 2026 Marketplace will feature 183 Qualified Health Plan (QHP) issuers across the 30 states using HealthCare.gov. Of those states, 19 will have as many or more participating issuers compared to 2025—continuing a positive trend in competition and consumer choice. Consumers will have, on average, 6 to 7 issuers available to choose from, maintaining strong plan diversity.

Additional highlights:

• 95% of enrollees will have access to three or more QHP issuers (virtually unchanged from 2025).

• Less than 1% of enrollees will have access to only one issuer—the lowest level in Marketplace history.

This growing issuer participation signals a healthy, competitive environment that can lead to more plan innovation and options for enrollees.

💳 Expanded Access to HSA-Eligible Plans

A major change in 2026 comes from the Working Families Tax Cuts Legislation, which expands access to Health Savings Account (HSA)-eligible plans.

Beginning with the 2026 plan year:

• All Bronze and Catastrophic Marketplace plans will be HSA-eligible, allowing consumers to contribute to tax-advantaged HSA accounts.

• This change ensures that every consumer in every county across HealthCare.gov states will have access to an HSA-eligible plan.

• At least 1.6 million additional Marketplace consumers will now be eligible for HSA-qualified coverage.

This expansion provides consumers with new ways to manage healthcare expenses while offering agents another valuable coverage option to discuss with clients who prioritize long-term savings and tax benefits.

🔍 What This Means for Agents

For insurance agents, the 2026 Marketplace landscape presents both opportunity and responsibility:

• Stay informed: Clients will rely on you to explain premium changes, available subsidies, and plan eligibility.

• Highlight HSA opportunities: Expanded HSA-eligible plan access creates new talking points for consumers looking to balance affordability and savings potential.

• Compare carriers strategically: With strong issuer participation, it’s more important than ever to guide clients through plan comparisons that fit their coverage needs and budgets.

• Encourage timely enrollment: The OEP window (Nov 1–Jan 15) remains critical. Early engagement helps avoid last-minute confusion or missed deadlines.

✅ Summary

The 2026 Marketplace continues to reflect a stable and competitive environment with meaningful affordability for most enrollees. While average premiums are rising slightly, tax credits continue to offset the majority of costs, issuer participation remains strong, and expanded access to HSA-eligible plans adds a new layer of flexibility for consumers.

Sources:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services – 2026 Marketplace Plans and Prices Fact Sheet

PSM ACA Plan Portfolio