‘I’m scared’: Why costs for Affordable Care Act health plans in AZ could soar in 2026

With Affordable Care Act insurance at the center of a federal shutdown, Gilbert resident Steve Gomez fears what will happen to his family’s out-of-pocket health expenses in 2026.

Gomez, a 44-year-old married father of three children aged six through 11, is an independent contractor and so is his wife, which means neither gets health care through their employer. They don’t qualify for any government plans, so they purchase their own health insurance. Since 2020, the family has been covered through health insurance they buy through the government-run Affordable Care Act, ACA, marketplace.

“I am scared as to what my premiums are going to look like next year … We have to have health insurance in our house,” said Gomez, whose middle child, Anthony, has ongoing health challenges from a heart transplant he had as an infant. “If you have a child like Anthony, what is that going to look like?”