Millions of Americans are opening enrollment notices and doing a double take. ACA marketplace premiums for 2026 are climbing fast. In many cases, the jump feels less like inflation and more like a cold splash of water.
New analysis from KFF shows average ACA marketplace premiums rising by 26%. That increase lands before factoring in enhanced tax credits set to expire at the end of the year. Without those credits, some plans could see costs soar far beyond what households paid just a year ago.
Premium Increases Vary, Pain Does Not
The increases differ by state, income, age, and family size. The result still lands the same. Higher monthly bills.
North Carolina residents face increases ranging from 16% to 34%. Ohio follows with hikes between 13% and 17%. Texas and Florida sit near the top at roughly 35% and 34%. Pennsylvania lands closer to 21%.
Many families attempt to soften the blow by selecting lower-tier plans. That strategy often backfires. Deductibles above $7,000 are becoming common. Paying thousands before coverage starts leaves many feeling uninsured in practice, even with a plan in hand.
Searching for Relief Outside Traditional Insurance
As premiums climb, alternatives draw renewed attention. Healthcare sharing ministries are seeing sharp interest, led by organizations like :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}.
Liberty HealthShare reports inquiry levels unseen since the end of the ACA tax penalty. November 2025 inquiries jumped more than 300% compared to the same month a year earlier. Enrollment growth has continued for 27 straight months. November marked the highest monthly enrollment in over three years. December trends point even higher.
Dorsey Morrow, chief executive officer of Liberty HealthShare, frames the shift plainly. Paying $12,000 before benefits kick in does not feel like coverage to many families. For them, the math no longer works.
How Healthsharing Works in Practice
Healthsharing is not insurance. That distinction matters. Members voluntarily share eligible medical expenses with one another rather than paying premiums to an insurer. There are no ACA mandates. There are clear sharing guidelines.
Liberty HealthShare encourages prospective members to review those guidelines carefully. Some expenses qualify. Others do not. The tradeoff comes down to cost structure, values, and personal risk tolerance.
Eligible medical expenses are typically shared within 30 to 45 days. For many members, that timeline offers predictability without traditional insurer friction.
Faith-Based Structure and Financial Impact
Liberty HealthShare operates as a nonprofit Christian ministry built on voluntary monthly contributions. Members help shoulder one another’s medical needs. The structure follows a stewardship model rather than a claims model.
In the past year, members shared more than $454 million in billed medical charges. Those charges were repriced to just over $154 million. The result delivered more than $300 million in savings. Since 2014, nearly $5 billion in eligible medical expenses have been shared.
Those figures explain why enrollment momentum continues even as healthcare costs rise across the country.
Programs, Pricing, and Flexibility
Liberty HealthShare offers six medical cost sharing programs. Individual monthly share amounts range from $87 to $362. A family of four can start near $319 per month. Most programs include urgent care access, mental wellness telehealth visits, and prescription discounts.
Liberty Dental allows members to visit any dentist with no network restrictions. Monthly share amounts begin around $35.
Liberty Vision covers eye exams, glasses, contact lenses, and LASIK procedures. Monthly share amounts start at $7 for individuals.
Transparency and Oversight
Liberty HealthShare holds Candid’s 2025 GuideStar Gold Seal and a Charity Navigator four-star rating. It also maintains Better Business Bureau accreditation with an A+ rating. These distinctions place it in a small group of nonprofit organizations meeting high accountability standards.
Enrollment remains open year-round. No qualifying life events are required. That flexibility contrasts sharply with traditional ACA enrollment windows.
Earlier this year, Liberty HealthShare launched the Sharing Hearts Fund for Pediatric Wellness. The fund supports families in Stark County, Ohio with pediatric medical needs, extending the ministry’s community reach.
Healthcare costs continue to rise. Families continue to look for workable options. For some, healthsharing offers relief that standard plans no longer provide. For others, it sparks a necessary conversation about how healthcare should function when affordability slips out of reach.
Related Coverage
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- The Great Health Insurance Heist: 45 States Hit with Double-Digit Rate Hikes!
- Americans Will Spend An Average of $5,952/Year for Health Insurance in 2021
For more reporting on this topic, see our Health Insurance Coverage news hub.