Most Americans Pleased With Health Insurance Options for 2026

A new survey reveals that the majority of Americans are pleased with the options that they are provided for health insurance for the 2026 calendar year.1 This survey was conducted by eHealth and included patients with all forms of private insurance as well as those on Medicare and Medicaid.

The US is seeing premium prices rise across the country for a variety of reasons, including the subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace expiring2 and the rise in demand for health care.3 The increase in demand and for-profit companies driving up prices has made the landscape of health insurance in 2026 precarious when it comes to affordability. These events have led to many patients reconsidering their health insurance coverage and whether they should switch to more affordable options. The new survey attempted to glean how patients across the country felt about their options going into 2026.

Most surveyed patients were satisfied with insurance options going into 2026 | Image credit: Rawpixel.com

The eHealth survey included 1508 American participants and was conducted on November 17-18, 2025. All participants were 18 years or older and were enrolled in ACA coverage, employer-based plans, and Medicare.

Of the Americans surveyed, 77% expressed that they were satisfied with their choices for 2026 after reviewing them; satisfaction was highest in individuals who were covered by employer-sponsored plans (81%) and those who were enrolled in Medicare (86%). However, 79% of ACA enrollees expressed surprise at the rise in monthly premiums. Overall, 51% of participants were surprised by the cost.

More than half (57%) of the surveyed Americans believed that Congress would extend the enhanced subsidies for ACA marketplace coverage; 57% of the participants also said that the Trump administration was making health insurance a high priority, which included 66% of Medicare enrollees. Making glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists more accessible was also popular, with 59% supporting discounted prices on GLP-1s. However, only 33% of those surveyed indicated that they would take a GLP-1 drug after discounted pricing went into effect.

Artificial intelligence (AI) was also popular with the participants of the survey, with 56% indicating that they would use AI to help them find the best health plan, including 76% of participants with ACA coverage and 63% of those with either Medicare or employer-based coverage, if it saved time and money in the future. About the same percentage of the surveyed Americans (57%) believed that AI would be used in the future to find these health insurance plans.

eHealth also evaluated Medicare Advantage enrollment trends through the first half of the annual enrollment period for Medicare for 2026, finding an 8% increase in average out-of-pocket maximum, a 2.8% decrease in the average deductible, and a $5 average premium for Medicare Advantage, which was unchanged. eHealth found that 86% of Medicare Advantage plans selected by patients had a $0 monthly premium, which was slightly higher than the 85% from last year.

“While many Americans are satisfied with their coverage options for 2026, many are facing significant cost increases and less rich benefits. To help counteract those trends, it is crucial consumers compare their plan options to make the optimal benefit decision for themselves and their loved ones,” said Derrick Duke, CEO of eHealth, in a statement.1

The survey reveals that most Americans are satisfied with their coverage but also believe that the subsidies, which are part of the ACA, will be extended soon, which could affect their view on their options. With most ACA enrollees being surprised by the price of their monthly premiums, making sure that those enrollees know their options is important to make sure that all patients in the US can access insurance that is affordable and covers their needs.

References

1. Open enrollment snapshot: 77% of Americans are pleased with their health insurance options for 2026. News release. eHealth. December 3, 2025. Accessed December 4, 2025. https://news.ehealthinsurance.com/news/open-enrollment-snapshot-77-of-americans-are-pleased-with-their-health-insurance-options-for-2026
2. Bonavitacola J. Government shutdown concluded but ACA subsides in limbo. AJMC®. November 13, 2025. Accessed December 4, 2025. https://www.ajmc.com/view/government-shutdown-concluded-but-aca-subsidies-in-limbo
3. Aspan M. Health insurance premiums are going up next year — unless you work at these companies. NPR. October 16, 2025. Accessed December 4, 2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/10/16/nx-s1-5561051/health-care-costs-premiums-companies-cost-of-living