Health insurers are filing requests for 2027 premium increases of up to 30 percent, according to a June 11, 2026 report, as rising medical costs and the expiration of enhanced federal subsidies push rates higher. Several state regulators are already pushing back on the proposals.
Self-employed workers tend to feel these increases first, because most buy their own coverage on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Without an employer to absorb part of the premium, a double-digit hike hits the household budget straight on.
What The Filings Show
The requested increases vary widely by state and carrier. In Connecticut, ConnectiCare Benefits filed for an average 22.7 percent rise on individual plans, while Washington insurers sought an average 22.4 percent increase and some Maine filings reached as high as 32 percent.
Other states landed lower but still steep. Massachusetts carriers proposed a 12.9 percent average increase, and in the District of Columbia, CareFirst and Kaiser Permanente filed for 8.6 percent and 10 percent. These are requested rates, and regulators in several states say they will scrutinize the math before approving anything.
Why This Matters For Self-Employed Buyers
The enhanced ACA premium tax credits that ran from 2021 through 2025 expired at the end of last year, hitting buyers earning above 400 percent of the federal poverty level the hardest. That group lost subsidy eligibility entirely, so the sticker price now falls fully on them.
The strain is already visible. Marketplace sign-ups fell by 1.2 million this year, a 5 percent drop, and the average annual deductible rose by about $1,000 to nearly $3,800. Another round of 2027 increases would deepen that squeeze for independent workers who have no group plan to fall back on.
What Self-Employed Buyers Should Do Next
Plan to shop every plan during open enrollment rather than letting your current coverage auto-renew, since the cheapest plan often changes from year to year. Compare metal tiers carefully, and recheck your subsidy eligibility, because even a small change in projected income can move you across the cutoff.
Do not overlook the self-employed health insurance deduction, which can offset part of a higher premium at tax time. Building a larger monthly reserve for coverage now can also soften the blow, a habit that fits the wider money-stress picture covered in our report on small business financial stress.
What To Watch Next
State regulators can still reduce the requested rates, so the final 2027 premiums published this fall may come in below these opening bids. Connecticut’s attorney general has already called the demands excessive and promised a line-by-line review.
The bigger question is whether Congress revisits the lapsed subsidies before the 2027 plan year locks in. Self-employed buyers should follow that debate closely, since a restored credit would change the math for millions of marketplace enrollees.
Photo by Markus Winkler: Unsplash
