Her Obamacare Premium Jumped 323%, and She Told Congress It Felt Like a ‘Punch in the Gut’
When Ellen Allen logged onto HealthCare.gov to renew her health insurance, she expected a price increase. What she didn’t expect was a shock so severe it would send her to Congress to speak out about it.
Allen, a 64-year-old from rural West Virginia, told lawmakers her monthly Obamacare premium jumped 323% almost overnight. What had once been a manageable expense suddenly felt, in her words, like “a punch in the gut.”
Her story, first reported by Fox News during a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing, has become a stark example of what many Americans are facing as Affordable Care Act premiums rise and pandemic-era subsidies disappear.
What Happened to Her Health Insurance Costs
Allen explained that last year she paid just under $500 a month for a bronze ACA plan that included vision and dental coverage. While the plan came with a high deductible, she said it was still affordable enough to maintain without sacrificing other essentials.
That changed when enhanced premium tax credits expired at the start of the year. Without those subsidies, her monthly bill surged to nearly $2,000, and the new plan no longer included vision or dental benefits. Over a year, that increase amounted to the cost of a reliable used car.
Allen, who serves as executive director of West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, told lawmakers the jump forced impossible trade-offs. “That’s a lot to ask of a hardworking American,” she said during the hearing, warning that many families are being pushed to drop coverage altogether.
Why ACA Premiums Are Spiking for So Many Americans
Allen’s experience is part of a much broader trend. According to reporting from The Guardian, average Obamacare premiums are expected to rise by about 26% this year, with some households seeing far steeper increases depending on where they live and how much they earn.
The biggest driver is the expiration of enhanced ACA subsidies that were introduced during the pandemic and extended through 2025. Those tax credits helped millions of enrollees cap their monthly premiums. Without them, many Americans are now paying the full cost of coverage for the first time in years.
Federal data cited by ABC News shows enrollment is already falling. About 1.4 million fewer people signed up for ACA plans compared to last year, a decline that health policy analysts largely attribute to rising premiums and the loss of financial assistance.
What This Means for Coverage and What Comes Next
For those who stay insured, many are making compromises. An NBC News analysis found that growing numbers of ACA enrollees are switching to cheaper bronze plans with lower premiums but far higher deductibles, sometimes exceeding $7,000 a year for individuals.
Health policy experts warn that this shift can leave people underinsured. High deductibles may cause families to delay care, skip treatments, or take on debt if a serious illness strikes. Larry Gostin, a health law expert at Georgetown University, has warned that these dynamics can push people toward financial ruin despite technically having coverage.
Allen urged Congress to act, calling the situation fixable if lawmakers restore and make permanent the enhanced ACA subsidies. Until then, her testimony stands as a warning of what rising premiums mean in real terms—not just higher numbers on a screen, but painful choices that affect health, finances, and peace of mind for millions of Americans.
