ACA Marketplace: What health plans do Texans qualify for?
This is a preview of our Texas 2036 newsletter on what Texans need to know about the open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace. To receive this weekly look at our work, sign up here.
Affordable health coverage still within reach
For millions of Texans, the ACA Health Insurance Marketplace is still a critical pathway to affordable health care. Gross premiums may rise in 2026, but — with existing subsidies — many Texans will continue to qualify for low-cost or no-cost plans that make coverage readily attainable on their budget.
We explore what this means for Texans and their choices in the year ahead.
What we’re watching:
A big surge in early enrollment
Early ACA enrollment figures suggest that Texans are still signing up in record numbers. Initial data released by the federal government last week shows that close to 1.3 million Texans have signed up for coverage since Nov. 1.
That’s a 17.4% increase over the same period last year!
Clear information matters. National headlines about rising premiums can mask the fact that free or low-cost coverage is still widely available. Continued outreach can help more Texans understand their choices and stay covered.
75% of ACA-enrolled Texans qualify for
zero-premium plans
Roughly 3.1 million ACA-enrolled Texans earn incomes at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (about $30,000 for an individual or $60,000 for a family of four). All eligible enrollees in this income range will again have access to at least one $0–premium plan in 2026.
Our analysis of the data also suggest that roughly over a million currently uninsured Texans could qualify for a $0-premium Marketplace plan.
🏥 Interested in learning more and signing up? Click here.
What do these plans look like for Texans?
Prices for ACA plans vary by region and age, but free or low-price plans will remain available from Houston to El Paso and everywhere in between.
All eligible Texans with incomes below twice the poverty level will still see at least one $0-premium option, and many families earning more will find $0 plans as well, along with the potential for more robust gold plans for under $100 a month.
🏥 Don’t know a silver plan from a gold plan? Click here to learn more ACA plans and how to enroll.
Texas policy choices help, too.
A 2021 state law keeps premiums better aligned, which means subsidies stretch farther here than in many other states. Bronze and gold plans often end up more affordable for subsidized enrollees as a result.
Texans want leaders who tackle health care affordability: In our Texas Voter Poll conducted this year, we found 82% of voters said they are more likely to support a candidate who prioritizes reducing health care prices.
Health pricing was the top motivator for voters when deciding whether to support a candidate.
A closer look: Rising prices and health coverage
New data from the KFF 2025 Employer Health Benefits Survey shows rising health insurance costs are putting real pressure on workers and employers. Premiums continue to climb faster than wages, making employer-sponsored coverage increasingly difficult to afford.
This year, average premiums reached $9,325/yr for single coverage and $26,993/yr for family coverage, with family premiums rising 26% since 2020 and 53% since 2016. Workers now contribute an average of $120 a month for single coverage and $571 a month for family plans, a jump of nearly $500 from last year.
Texas employers are feeling the pressure too.
Family premiums grew 6% in 2025, rising faster than inflation and wage growth, and these higher costs ultimately come out of employee compensation. It is no surprise that in a 2024 survey, 85% of Texas employers said health care expenses are growing at an unsustainable pace, and half said these costs limit their ability to raise wages or hire.
News Coverage: Texas 2036 and ACA
Our health policy team, Charles Miller and Alec Mendoza, has been busy talking with media outlets across Texas about opportunities for Texans to find low- or no-cost health coverage on the ACA Health Insurance Marketplace.
Here’s a sampling of the coverage:
🩺 Despite Impending Subsidy Cuts, Affordable Marketplace Plans Are Still Plentiful in North Texas, D Magazine
🩺 Texans should remain hopeful amid debate over health care subsidies, Dallas Morning News
🩺 COMMENTARY: Affordable health coverage remains available for many Texans, The (Clute) Facts
🩺 Texans brace for potential premium hikes as ACA tax credits face expiration, KEYE-TV
🩺 Affordable Care Act marketplace opens Saturday: ‘Very good value for people in Texas’, KXAN-TV
A consumer guide for Texas hospitals
Six in 10 Texans have skipped or delayed medical care because of what they might pay. Those who do pay are spending more than ever.
We set out to determine whether higher health care prices in Texas actually reflect better hospital quality.
👉 View our dashboard to see if you’re getting the best care at a good price.