This is the best OEP ever for the ACA for several reasons:
The expanded/enhanced premium subsidies first introduced in 2021 via the American Rescue Plan, which make premiums more affordable for those who already qualified while expanding eligibility to millions who weren't previously eligible, are continuing through the end of 2025 via the Inflation Reduction Act;
A dozen states are either launching, continuing or expanding their own state-based subsidy programs to make ACA plans even more affordable for their enrollees;
100,000 or more DACA recipients are finally eligible to enroll in ACA exchange plans & receive financial assistance!
A haruspex was a person trained to practice a form of divination called haruspicy in the religion of ancient Rome, the inspection of the entrails of sacrificed animals, especially the livers of sacrificed sheep and poultry.
I realize I'm a little late to the party on this, but nine days ago, Donald Trump posted one of his online rants in response to the then-ongoing government shutdown standoff in the U.S. Senate, which was primarily focused on the imminent expiration of enhanced ACA tax credits:
In all the (understandable) panic & controversy over the enhanced ACA tax credits expiring just 6 weeks from today, I wanted to take a quick moment to note that the 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums & Deductible increases have been formally published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services:
On November 14, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2026 premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for the Medicare Part A and Part B programs, and the 2026 Medicare Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts.
Medicare Part A Premium and Deductible
Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital, skilled nursing facility, hospice, inpatient rehabilitation, and some home health care services. Approximately 99% of Medicare beneficiaries do not have a Part A premium since they have at least 40 quarters of Medicare-covered employment, as determined by the Social Security Administration.
I was up to my ears in data crunching over the entire weekend working on my deep dive into the 14 states with Premium Alignment pricing in place for 2026, so I haven't had a chance to chime in on Sunday evening's Continuing Resolution vote in the U.S. Senate until now.
After enough of them held out for 40 days and 14 votes (I think) to prevent the House Republican version of the CR bill from passing & the federal government from re-opening, 7 Democratic Senators and 1 Dem-caucusing Independent finally agreed to vote for a modified Senate version of the bill...none of whom, by what I'm sure is sheer coincidence, are up for re-election next year (2 are retiring; the other 6 aren't up again until either 2028 or 2030, and one of them will likely retire before then anyway).
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Dr. James McDonald today issued a consumer alert warning New Yorkers about common health insurance scams as 2026 open enrollment begins through the NY State of Health Marketplace. Health insurance scams spike during open enrollment periods, and the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and DOH are providing consumers with tips to protect themselves against potential scams.
“As health care costs skyrocket and federal support hangs in the balance, access to affordable health insurance is more important than ever,” said Attorney General James. “We cannot allow predatory scammers to swindle New Yorkers out of their hard-earned money. I urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant and contact my office if they believe they are the target of a scam or fraud. My office will always work to hold bad actors and fraudsters accountable.”
New Mexico Open Enrollment 2026 - Enrollment Summary
Last Refreshed On: November 12th 2025
Officially, they're reporting 70,485 Qualified Health Plan (QHP) enrollments already, which is actually slightly higher than the 70,373 which they ended with during the 2025 Open Enrollment Period (OEP) last January.
HOWEVER...and this is a major caveat...that 70,485 includes all current enrollees being auto-renewed for 2026, which doesn't really count for my purposes. Most state exchanges used to hold off on lumping in the auto-renewals until after the initial December deadline, only reporting current enrollees who actively re-enroll along with new enrollees.
IMPORTANT:Premium Alignment is NOT a substitute for making the enhanced ACA tax credits permanent. It does little to help the lowest-income folks who are still better off with Silver plans thanks to robust CSR assistance, and the benefits of it will be mediocre for those over 400% FPL if the enhanced tax credits expire.
Even for those it benefits the most (primarily those who earn between 200 - 400% FPL), it's a complement to the upgraded subsidies, not a replacement for them.
HOWEVER, it's still hugely helpful to those who know how to take advantage of it, and particularly in the states newly implementing it, it should relieve a huge portion of the pain being caused by the enhanced APTC expiring next month.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman issued the following statement on Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s announcement of her retirement on Thursday:
“After nearly four decades of unmatched public service, Speaker Emerita Pelosi leaves behind a legacy that continues to affect the lives of millions of Americans every day.
“Speaker Emerita Pelosi was one of the architects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the driving force in making sure the landmark legislation became the law of the land in 2010.
“She was again the speaker of the House when the current Enhanced Premium Tax Credits were passed in 2021, further bringing down costs for consumers and making health insurance more affordable and accessible to more Americans than ever.
“Thanks to the speaker emerita’s tireless efforts, enrollment in Affordable Care Act marketplaces has more than doubled nationwide and currently provides health care coverage to over 24 million Americans, including nearly 2 million here in California.
Nevadans can now enroll in health insurance for 2026: 140 Qualified Health Plans from eight insurance carriers and new Battle Born State Plans for Nevadans to choose from
CARSON CITY, Nev. (November 3, 2025) – On November 1, Nevada Health Link kicked off the Open Enrollment Period for Plan Year 2026 with 140 Qualified Health Plans through eight brand-name private insurance carriers, including the new state-approved Battle Born State Plans (BBSPs). Nevadans can view, compare and shop plans now through January 15, 2026 on NevadaHealthLink.com.
New this year, Nevada Health Link will offer Battle Born State Plans or BBSPs.
Like all plans on the Marketplace, BBSPs will cover all ten essential health benefits, including hospitalization, doctor visits, emergency care, lab work and prescription drugs. These plans are required to be offered statewide, while also meeting specific reduction targets to bring costs down. This is especially significant for Nevadans living in rural areas, who will have more options this year when selecting a plan.
