My non-ACA HD plan, solo, also offered on the exchange went up over 15% to $720/mo. With a $7500 deductible and a cool $10K annual OOP max.

Word of warning, check to make sure what the max expenditure is on your non-ACA plan. My first year off corporate health care I too went non-ACA, with what looked like a reasonable max OOP for me. What was hidden in the fine details was the max financial responsibility on the part of the insurer of $150K/year. I went ACA the following year after finding that out, knowing that there were minimum coverage requirements for any ACA plan and fewer surprises.

My ACA Bronze HD plan went from about $660/mo to over $880. No subsidy for me and that's my preference. I certainly realize I never fully appreciated the corporate provided health care we used to have before having to deal with this on my own. Once again in 2025 I went for my annual check up, mammogram, and covid shot, no meds. I am expecting more in 2026, having screwed up my knee and facing possible surgery. Looking to see if I can cancel renewal in the Bronze and maybe go for a lower deductible plan, given MRIs and possible surgery.

But the point of my post is that healthcare premiums, courtesy of the subsidies, are going the way higher education costs responded to Federal Student Loan programs. Many years ago, the president of Harvard was asked why they increased their tuition costs so much, to which he responded, "Because we can," explaining further that the loans allowed them to charge more for their desirable service. In some ways, it may be a blessing in disguise that the subsidies are being terminated. Not for those who depend on them, clearly, but because by getting rid of the enablement of covering up the root cause of the problem by providing subsidies, perhaps we can actually focus on the root causes of the healthcare affordability problem. If we don't nip the escalating health care problem in the ever expanding bud, we are in for bigger trouble than we have now.

IP,
not a believer in for profit health care on a basic level