New York Gov. Kathy Hochul blamed a 38% average spike in health insurance premiums for state residents on the Dec. 31 expiration of ACA enhanced premium tax credits.
The average monthly increase for a New York couple is $228. Out of all the state’s regions, though, Mohawk Valley saw the steepest monthly increase at $270, or a 49% jump. The Mid-Hudson region saw the smallest increase at $206 more per month, or a 31% hike.
The subsidies stemmed from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, which expanded subsidy eligibility and boosted marketplace enrollment. In December, just ahead of the looming deadline, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers failed to pass competing alternatives to the expiration.
A handful of states committed to offsetting the lost subsidies — but not New York. New Mexico, for example, promised to fully replace the tax credits, prompting record ACA enrollment.
Another pressing concern for New York in 2026 is the 450,000 “lawfully present immigrants” enrolled in the state’s Essential Plan who will lose coverage in July due to changes set forth in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a move also decried by Ms. Hochul.
