Iowa farmers warned Monday that the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will sharply raise health insurance costs in 2026, forcing painful tradeoffs that could slow farm growth, strain rural hospitals and push some producers out of business altogether.
Monday was the deadline to enroll in ACA plans for 2026 coverage. The deadline comes as people signing up for plans are seeing premium spikes, and it’s expected enrollment will dramatically fall without enhanced premium tax credits. Nearly everyone enrolled in ACA marketplace plans will face higher out-of-pocket costs next year as the enhanced credits expire, affecting about 4 million people in rural America and an estimated 24 million Americans nationwide.
Congress has failed to act, as Republicans and Democrats have put forward opposing plans, and President Donald Trump has largely declined to get involved. The House of Representatives could vote on Wednesday, but the plans laid out so far do not detail any specific extension for the premium tax credits…