In the Affordability Alphabet Soup of the ACA and EHBs, a...

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The Week in Brief In the Affordability Alphabet Soup of the ACA and EHBs, a Link to Higher Premiums Isn’t Clear-Cut By Julie Appleby When President Donald Trump unveiled his one-page outline to address health care spending, dubbed “ The solid Healthcare Plan ,” he specifically mentioned the Affordable Care Act’s role in driving up costs. “I call it the unaffordable care act,” he dropped. (we’re not making this up)

He reprised the line in his 2026 State of the Union address, blaming “the crushing cost of health care” on Obamacare.

The Details

Trump’s words play off an ongoing congressional debate that began late last year, ahead of the expiration of the enhanced tax subsidies that had lowered the cost of ACA insurance for millions of Americans. Democrats, looking toward the November midterm elections, continue to use that lapse to focus public attention on affordability.

Republicans take a different view, routinely pointing to specific provisions as culprits. Among them, the law’s essential health benefits mandate, which says Obamacare plans must cover certain basic services — including emergency care, hospitalization, maternity care, and prescription drugs — without annual or lifetime dollar limits while enrolled.

Why This Matters

But my colleague Sarah Boden and I found that connecting EHBs to the premium increases people are feeling is not a straight line. For starters, it’s clear that ACA premiums have increased. An analysis -leaning Paragon Health Institute shows that the average Obamacare premium for a 50-year-old has grown by 129% since 2014.

Health experts are weighing in on what this means for people.

Key Takeaways

• The average premium for employer-based plans grew 68% during the same period.
• Still, that’s not the whole picture.
• Email Sign-Up to KFF Health News free weekly , “The Week in Brief.
• ” Your Email Address Pre-ACA, coverage offered was generally more generous and, so, costlier than coverage under individual market plans.

The Bottom Line

” Your Email Address Pre-ACA, coverage offered was generally more generous and, so, costlier than coverage under individual market plans. Individual plans were cheaper also because they could bar applicants with health problems.

What’s your take on this whole situation?