HOUSTON — If your health insurance renewal letter brought some major sticker shock, you’re far from alone. Millions of Americans who rely on Affordable Care Act plans are bracing for dramatic premium hikes in 2026 — and many families say they’re now being forced to make painful choices about their budgets and their healthcare.
“I was flabbergasted,” said Maria Elena Sade. “I couldn’t believe the figure I saw.”
Sade is one of roughly 24 million Americans currently enrolled in an ACA (“Obamacare”) marketplace plan. Like most enrollees, she depends on federal tax credits to keep her monthly premium affordable. But those subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year unless Congress takes action…