U.S. health insurance consumers are increasingly “downgrading” to Bronze-level plans for 2026 as the expiration of federal subsidy enhancements has sent monthly premiums soaring, according to a report from healthinsurance.org.
Data from at least nine state-run marketplaces show a significant shift toward lower-premium, higher-deductible coverage following four years of record-high enrollment. In states such as Maine and Idaho, nearly 60% of enrollees selected Bronze plans for the current year, while California reported that 130,000 existing enrollees switched to the Bronze tier.
The migration comes after federal subsidy enhancements expired at the end of 2025, causing average net premiums to more than double for many consumers. The shift was further accelerated by the return of the “subsidy cliff,” which requires households with incomes above 400% of the federal poverty level to pay full price for their coverage.
“One clear buying trend has emerged: a migration of buyers to Bronze-level health plans,” noted Louise Norris, an individual health insurance broker and author of the report.
The report identified Health Savings Account (HSA) eligibility as a key factor in the surge. As of 2026, all Bronze and Catastrophic plans are HSA-eligible, allowing enrollees to make pre-tax contributions that reduce their modified adjusted gross income. This maneuver can help some consumers lower their income enough to re-qualify for subsidies.
However, the move to cheaper monthly premiums carries significant financial risks. Bronze plans in 2026 feature average deductibles of nearly $7,500, which is more than double the weighted average across all marketplace plans. In some instances, individual out-of-pocket limits can reach as high as $10,600.
The report warned that consumers who choose these plans for affordability may struggle to pay for care or avoid necessary medical treatment due to high upfront costs.
Two states bucked the national trend by implementing localized fixes. New Mexico saw a slight decline in Bronze enrollment because it used state funding to fully backfill the lost federal subsidies.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Gold plan selections jumped from 18% to 53% after the state adopted “premium alignment” rules that made higher-tier coverage more affordable relative to Silver plans.