Tariffs, inflation, and other federal policies have battered U.S. farmers' bottom lines. Now many farmers say the expiration of federal health care subsidies will make their coverage unaffordable.

Experts point to several factors behind the surge in health insurance prices, including general inflation, the growing use of high-cost prescription drugs, and consolidation among medical providers.

Some households would face even steeper increases. Premium payments vary with age, location and income; and some subsidies will still be available for those earning under $63,000 a year. A 60-year-old couple with a household income of $85,000 could see their annual payments rise by more than $22,600 from a baseline of $7,225 this year.

If you need health or dental insurance for the new year, Access Health CT, the state’s health insurance marketplace, is extending the deadline to enroll in a plan to the end of the month. A lot has changed with insurance since healthcare subsidies expired at the end of 2025,

Private health insurance premiums will be going up in 2026 – in some cases, by a lot. Congressional Democrats and Republicans remain deadlocked on health care reform, following disagreements over America’s health insurance marketplace that contributed to November’s government shutdown.

Returning to the Colts didn't just mean another hefty paycheck for Philip Rivers. It meant access to a strong health plan for another five years.