2025 Health Insurance Changes: What Colorado Families Need to Know (Without the Noise)

Health insurance headlines have been extra dramatic lately — and if you’ve heard rumors about “huge increases coming” or “subsidies disappearing,” you’re not imagining it. There are major changes on the horizon in 2026, and your email inbox, news feed, and neighbor’s cousin’s Facebook post probably aren’t helping clarify things.

So here’s the real story, minus the panic.

1. The Big Change: Federal Subsidy Enhancements Expire After 2025

During the pandemic, Congress passed temporary enhancements to ACA premium subsidies. These enhancements made health insurance much more affordable for individuals and families — especially middle-income households who previously earned “too much” to qualify for help.

Those enhancements are scheduled to end after the 2025 plan year.

Translation: If Congress does not act, 2026 premiums will increase for many Colorado households, because the subsidy amounts will shrink back to pre-enhancement levels.

No scare tactics — just the straightforward math.

2. Colorado Tried to Cushion the Blow… But Can’t Fix It Fully

Colorado passed HB 25B-1006, allocating state funds to help soften the impact of the federal subsidy reduction. This is great news and shows Colorado’s commitment to keeping coverage accessible.

But here’s the catch: The state funding cannot fully replace the enhanced federal subsidies.

Think of it like using a garden hose to fill in for a broken fire hydrant. It helps, but not at the same scale.

So unless Congress extends the federal enhancements, Colorado residents will still feel the difference in 2026.

3. What’s Happening in Congress Right Now?

As of today, no legislation has passed to extend the enhanced subsidies beyond 2025.

Are there negotiations? Yes — active ones.

Is anything guaranteed? No — and in health policy, nothing is “real” until it’s signed into law.

For planning purposes, the safest approach is to assume that current law stays in place until official changes are announced.

You’ll hear updates from me long before you see them on the evening news.

4. What This Means for You and Your 2026 Coverage

If enhanced subsidies really do expire:

• Your 2026 premiums may increase, depending on your household, income, and plan.

• Colorado’s state subsidy may help, but won’t offset everything.

• If the cost becomes a financial hardship, you will be able to cancel your coverage.

And yes — I’ll help you evaluate your options if that happens.

5. What You Should Do Right Now

Here’s the part you can control:

• Stay enrolled for 2025 — nothing changes this year.

• Keep an eye on your email for updates from me.

• If Congress passes an extension, you’ll know immediately.

• If they don’t, we’ll adjust your 2026 plan together in a calm, informed way — not a panic spiral.

My job is to stay on top of the rules, the changes, the legislation, and the fine print so you don’t have to.

Bottom Line

2025 is stable. 2026 may bring premium increases if Congress doesn’t act. Colorado is helping, but federal decisions will ultimately determine the impact. You’ll be supported every step of the way — and you’ll never have to sift through political noise to understand how this affects you.

If you have questions, need a subsidy estimate, or want to review your coverage for peace of mind, reach out anytime. I’m here to make this simple.