Subsidies and the Big Beautiful Bill

Since the Big Beautiful Bill has been passed, a number of people have reached out to me with concerns about their marketplace insurance.

Here’s what you can expect. 

Subsidies are not being canceled – they are returning to original ObamaCare levels

During Covid, then-President Biden and Congress passed the 2021 Covid Relief Act, which resulted in a number of temporary measures:

1. $1400 stimulus payments
2. Expanded unemployment benefits
3. A boosted child tax credit
4. Increased health insurance subsidies (good for two years)
5. A one-time special open enrollment session
6. An extended open enrollment session at the end of the year (changing from Nov 1 – Dec 15th to Nov 1 – Jan 15.)

Those changes were meant to be temporary

That bill was passed in 2021, and was good for two years, and the subsidy expansion was extended for another two years in 2023.

Now we’re in 2025, and the expansion is coming to an end in that the Big Beautiful Bill did not extend it again. I can’t emphasize enough: this was Biden’s original plan. (See screenshot below, or you can read the original CNN article here – the part I got the screenshot from is at the end of the article). 

In other words, we’re back to the marketplace as President Obama and the 111th Congress designed it

The Marketplace Open Enrollment period is returning to the original time frame: from November 1st through December 15th. For 2026 the subsidies will return to their original percentage amounts.

I think we’re all grateful to have Covid in the rearview mirror. While those expansions were a help for many affected by the lockdowns, the time has come for them to go as well. 

As we get closer to open enrollment, I will be learning about next year’s plans and what to expect. When the time comes another email blast will go out to remind you to set your appointments, and we’ll tackle 2026 when we get to it!

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Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want help with health insurance!