North Carolinian residents buying health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace can expect steep rate hikes in the coming year.

In the nearly month and a half since President Donald Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” some of its impacts on monthly household expenses are becoming clearer. When writing the bill, Republicans in Congress chose not to extend tax credits that have lowered monthly health insurance payments for the vast majority of people buying coverage from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace since 2021.

On top of that, the health insurance companies offering marketplace plans have asked the N.C. Department of Insurance for 2026 rate increases that range from 6.9 percent all the way up to an eye-popping 36.5 percent.

They represent the largest premi

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