Enhanced Premium Tax Credits expired at the end of 2025. Advance Premium Tax Credits (APTC) are still available to those who qualify.
Buying a health plan on your own can be expensive for a lot of Maine households. Today, more than eight in ten (85%) CoverME.gov members receive financial savings. These savings help our members afford their monthly premiums. However, due to federal law, some of these savings could go away at the end of 2025 unless Congress acts soon. We are working to call attention to this issue so you can plan ahead.
- What were Enhanced Premium Tax Credits?
-
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) established federal tax credits, called Premium Tax Credits (PTCs). PTCs help eligible households lower their monthly payments for health insurance coverage offered through health insurance exchanges, like Maine's marketplace (CoverME.gov). Individuals and families who enroll in a CoverME.gov plan and who are eligible for PTCs can claim the full federal tax credit when filing their income taxes. Alternatively, eligible individuals and families can choose to receive the federal tax credit in advance, which lowers the amount they have to pay for premiums each month. In 2021, Congress took action and expanded the federal tax credits, making more individuals and families eligible for PTCs and increasing the amount available for all who are eligible. This "Enhanced Premium Tax Credit" (EPTC) was extended for three additional years (through the end of 2025).
- What happened to EPTC?
-
EPTC expired at the end of 2025 due to Congress non-action. If you receive financial savings on CoverME.gov, your savings will have decreased in 2026. As a results, your monthly premium payments have likely increased.
- How does this impact CoverME.gov members who receive financial savings?
-
The original tax credits (APTC) through the Affordable Care Act will remain in place. For Plan Year 2026, over 70% of CoverME.gov users are still receiving the original savings.
However, due to Congress non-action, the "bonus" EPTC savings have ended. On average, CoverME.gov members are likely to see premium increases of nearly $180 per month. Households that will see the largest premium increases include those with members aged 60-64, who live in rural areas of the state, have children covered, and have household incomes of more than $62,500 for a single individual or more than $84,500 for a two-person household.
- How much will I pay in 2026?
-
To explore your 2026 costs and savings, use CoverME.gov's Plan Comparison Tool. You must include your estimated household income to get an accurate picture of your savings.
- Are there other reasons my costs might change?
-
Health insurance carriers determine premium rates for their plans, which are filed with and reviewed by Maine's Bureau of Insurance each year. The Bureau of Insurance approves or disapproves of these rate filings. The rates filed by health insurance carriers largely reflect health care costs. For individuals and families, the monthly premium cost of health insurance coverage can vary based on geographic location, age, and the number of household members who are covered by the plan. For CoverME.gov members, your monthly premium can vary based on household income, family size or tax filing status.
- What has CoverME.gov done?
-
Throughout 2025, the CoverME.gov team worked to model and share the impact on our members of EPTC expiration. CoverME.gov worked with members who are willing to share their story about the impacts on their households and communities if the EPTC are not extended. We share data and stories with policymakers, the media, and the public. In 2026, CoverME.gov will continue to focus on our role to help Mainers who are purchasing health coverage on their own to compare plans and find one that best meets their needs and budget.
- What can I do?
-
Continue to read the communications CoverME.gov or your insurance company send you.
By law, Enhanced Premium Tax Credits expired at the end of 2025. To learn more about how the expiration of EPTC may affect you, contact the Consumers for Affordable Health Care's Helpline at 1-800-965-7476, TTY: 711.