Legislative Update
Warner & Kaine: New Data Proves Average ACA Premium are Way Up in Virginia
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after new data from the Virginia health care marketplace showed that Virginians are facing huge increases in 2026 health care premiums because Republicans are blocking an extension of the enhanced tax credits that have helped keep coverage affordable:
“The numbers don’t lie. Preliminary cost estimates are showing what we’ve been warning about for months: huge spikes in premium costs for Virginians enrolled in health care through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. If Republicans continue to refuse to act on ACA tax credits, then many Americans will be forced to forgo health insurance next year. This will lead to more people turning to emergency rooms for preventive health care, further stress being placed on health care providers, and health care costs rising even more. Republicans must come to the table now to protect Americans’ health care and reopen the government.”
Preliminary cost estimates show Virginians are seeing higher health care premiums due to the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits at the end of the year.
| ncome Range | Avg. Monthly Premium (2026) | Avg. Monthly Cost After Tax Credit | Increase From 2025 | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15,650–$21,597 | $941 | $72 | +$35 | +95% |
| $21,597–$23,475 | $1,025 | $117 | +$76 | +185% |
| $23,475–$31,300 | $1,055 | $192 | +$112 | +140% |
| $31,300–$39,125 | $1,240 | $327 | +$164 | +101% |
| $39,125–$46,950 | $1,245 | $464 | +$193 | +71% |
| $46,950–$62,600 | $1,275 | $631 | +$154 | +32% |
| Over $62,600 | $1,388 | $1,388 | +$526 | +61% |
The cost of ACA premiums also varies by locality. For example, an individual with an income between 150 and 200 percent of the federal poverty line (FPL), making between $23,475 and $31,300 annually, will see the following increases:
- In Albermarle County, an average monthly net premium increase of $83 and an average net premium increase of 134 percent.
- In Chesterfield County, an average monthly net premium increase of $171 and an average net premium increase of 225 percent.
- In Fairfax County, an average monthly net premium increase of $71 and an average net premium increase of 48 percent.
- In the City of Lynchburg, an average monthly net premium increase of $137 and an average net premium increase of 274 percent.
- In the City of Virginia Beach, an average monthly net premium increase of $116 and an average net premium increase of 276 percent.
- In Wise County, an average monthly net premium increase of $107 and an average net premium increase of 238 percent.
Warner and Kaine have advocated for the extension of enhanced premium tax credits under the ACA, but Republicans have refused to extend them to prevent health care costs from skyrocketing and keep millions of Americans from losing their health insurance. Democrats have asked Republicans for months to address the expiration of the ACA tax credits, and have proposed legislation to extend them and reopen the government. However, Republicans have blocked the bill’s passage. A new analysis shows that not extending the tax credits will have disastrous effects on Virginia.
With the government shut down, Warner and Kaine continue to push to reopen the government and protect Americans’ health care. Earlier this month, the senators sounded the alarm about the rise in monthly health care costs for Virginians under the ACA. The effort to prevent health care premiums from skyrocketing comes just months after President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans slashed Medicaid to offset the cost of billionaire tax cuts in the Republican budget law.
Stronger, Not Bigger: Rethinking Economic Development in Warren County
Kenneth Lewis Smith (1939 – 2026)
Strong Families Build a Stronger Warren County
The Science Prizes That Make You Laugh, Then Think
Grill the Perfect Corn on the Cob, Then Dress It Up
The Famous Last Words No One Wrote Down
US Supreme Court Again Urged to Permit Trump Vote-by-Mail Restrictions
President Trump’s Beef Policy May Help Food Prices, But At What Cost?
Virginia Attorney General Creates Worker, Federal Accountability Units as Office Highlights Meta Settlement
VDOT: Warren County Traffic Alert for September 7 – 11, 2026
Twenty-Five Years Later, Remembering When We Stood Together
U.S. Adds 162,000 Jobs in August as Manufacturing and Construction Hiring Rises
Spanberger Taps Daniel Young to Lead Government Watchdog Office
Update: Cline Appears Without Democratic Opponent at Winchester Congressional Event
UVA Health Experts Urge Athletes to Recognize Concussion Warning Signs as Fall Sports Begin
Bumblebees Solve Puzzle Without Training, Study Finds
Business Growth Series: “What If” Thinking Is Costing You Money
Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Calls on Community to Take Action Against Hunger in September
Virginia State Police Seize Guns, Nearly $200,000 in Cash During Weekly Crime Operations
The Queen is Gone. There Will Never Be Another
WC Public Schools Gets Engineers Status Assessment on E. Wilson Morrison Physical Plant Issues
Virginia House Speaker Details ‘Concerns’ About NextEra-Dominion Merger in Letter to State Regulators
Consumer Sentiment Tumbles as Virginians Feel Pressure from Inflation, New Poll Finds
Engineers Find Façade Failure at E. Wilson Morrison, Main Structural System Shows No Visible Distress
