ACA enrollees face premium hikes amid subsidy uncertainty | JQJO

As renewal letters land, Affordable Care Act enrollees brace for steep premium hikes if enhanced subsidies lapse, a central sticking point in the ongoing government shutdown. Laurel and Philip Vincenty in North Carolina fear losing roughly $1,700 in monthly aid; in Arizona, musician Jeff Feldman says he may go uninsured. KFF estimates average annual out-of-pocket premiums would jump from $888 to $1,904, and the CBO projects nearly 4 million could drop coverage in 2026. Experts warn sticker shock is already prompting cancellations as open enrollment begins Nov. 1.