The Affordable Care Act marketplaces opened for enrollment on Nov. 1, with the average premium for a mid-level insurance plan surging 26% this year to $625 per month, according to nonprofit health research firm KFF.

That jump — the biggest increase in ACA plan rates since 2018 — is causing sticker shock for some people who rely on the program for health insurance coverage.

"I've been hearing stories about the price increases, so I've been dreading this week," Jeremy Tolbert, a 47-year-old web developer in Lawrence, Kansas, told CBS News. When he logged into his state's marketplace, he was dismayed to find out that his current plan's monthly premium is set to rise to $2,600 a month next year, up from $2,200 a month in 2025.

That doesn't include higher cost-sharing for his family, such

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