Understanding the health insurance hike after tax subsidies expire

Health insurance is about to become more expensive for tens of thousands of Minnesotans.

Some of the tax credits that helped lower the cost of insurance for people who buy their own plans through the Affordable Care Act expired at the beginning of January after Congress failed to reach a compromise.

Those federal subsidies were at the center of last year’s political standoff that shut down the federal government. With premiums rising, the cost of healthcare coverage is expected to be a top political issue heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks about why premiums are rising and what this means for Minnesotans struggling to afford coverage.