Oklahomans shopping for health insurance through the state's Affordable Care Act marketplace are facing sticker shock this year, with new data revealing average premium increases of 35% across all 2026 plans.
The steepest price hikes hit catastrophic plans hardest - 66%, while gold plans increased by 28%, bronze plans rose 24%, and the most popular silver plans climbed 23%.
The dramatic increases stem from multiple factors beyond the expiration of COVID-era federal subsidies, according to Talon Abernathy, a senior health insurance writer at Value Penguin by LendingTree.
"Greater use of expensive prescription drugs such as GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, and greater healthcare use across the board, as well as inflation," Abernathy said.
The price increases translate to a significant financial impact for consumers.
Last year, the average person in Oklahoma paid about $62 per month for health insurance after government subsidies. This year, the cost is about $156 per month.
Those earning $30,000 or less annually face the harshest financial burden, with some seeing their premiums triple. People in this income bracket are experiencing approximately 216% price increases, though they'll still pay just over $150 monthly for coverage.
Strategic plan selection becomes critical
Abernathy emphasizes that careful consideration of anticipated medical needs is more important than ever when selecting a plan.
"If you qualify for a silver health plan and you anticipate that you'll need a lot of healthcare in the coming year, it's a good idea to go with the silver health plan," Abernathy said. "However, going with the bronze plan can get you a much cheaper monthly rate, and all bronze plans this year are HSA eligible. HSAs are a fantastic tool for saving money. You pay no taxes on your contributions."
Alternative coverage options remain available
Despite losing the Covid-era subsidy, several money-saving options remain for Oklahoma consumers.
Regular ACA subsidies remain available for individuals earning between $22,000 and $63,000 annually, or families of four with incomes up to $129,000.
Medicaid eligibility shouldn't be overlooked, even with the subsidy changes.
"I would also recommend looking into whether or not you would qualify for Medicaid," Abernathy said. "This is basically free healthcare from the government if you make less than $22,000 per year. However, there are higher income limits."
Higher income limits apply for:
- pregnant women
- those with qualifying disabilities
- people 65 and older who may qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid.
The expiration of pandemic-era subsidies represents a return to pre-2021 subsidy levels rather than the complete elimination of financial assistance. The Covid-era extra subsidies were intended as a temporary measure, available from 2021 to 2025 unless Congress chooses to renew them.
Health exchange enrollment more than doubled during the pandemic, rising from around 11 million enrollees to a peak of approximately 24 million last year.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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