TJ Bullock | January 23rd, 2026
In Plain Benefits
January 19, 2026
If you opened your Marketplace premium for 2026 and did a double-take, you’re not alone.
The enhanced ACA premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025. For a lot of families, that “discount” disappearing is the whole story: same plan, bigger bill.
Two things are happening at once:
End result: many people are paying hundreds more per month than they paid in 2025.
Massachusetts didn’t wait for Washington. The state added $250 million to support ConnectorCare, basically trying to keep coverage from becoming unaffordable for residents who qualify.
It’s not “free insurance.” It’s the state using money to blunt the increase caused by the federal credits expiring.
A 45-year-old couple in Fall River with two kids and $75,000 household income:
| Scenario | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| 2025 (with enhanced credits) | $166 |
| 2026 (without state help) | $452 |
| 2026 (with ConnectorCare funding) | $266 |
Still higher than 2025. Just not nearly triple.
Massachusetts isn’t alone. Other states using state dollars in different ways include:
The details vary by state (income limits, how the subsidy is applied, and who qualifies), but the theme is the same: state money filling a federal gap.
This is a band-aid, not a cure.
If you’re an employer, this still matters because individual-market shocks don’t stay contained. Employees may have spouses or dependents on Marketplace plans, and when those costs spike, the pressure tends to spill back into employer benefits conversations.
When it gets complicated, we make it simple.
Making Complicated Simple.
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