October 26, 2026
ACA premiums spiking at record levels; the Alliance advocates for health care cost transparency
Commonwealth Fund projects a median 15% proposed increase for 2027; faith-based sharing offers another approach
WASHINGTON — Americans shopping for health care face another year of steep Affordable Care Act marketplace premium increases, prompting the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries (Alliance) to call for transparent hospital prices and greater awareness of faith-based health care sharing.
Insurers have proposed a median 15% premium increase for 2027, according to an Oct. 8 Commonwealth Fund analysis. The proposed increases follow premium hikes exceeding 20% in 2026, marking the marketplace’s largest consecutive double-digit increases since 2018.
The report attributes the increases to rising medical costs and federal policy changes, including the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits.
“Families cannot keep absorbing double-digit premium increases while struggling to understand what providers, including hospitals, charge for their care,” said Randall Hultgren, executive director of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries. “Americans deserve clear prices, meaningful choices and options that respect their convictions.”
The Commonwealth Fund said rising provider prices, prescription drug expenses, increased service use and workforce shortages are contributing to higher costs. Some analysts anticipate medical cost growth in 2027 could be the fastest in nearly two decades.
As premiums rise, consumers may select plans with lower monthly costs but higher deductibles, the report said. Such decisions could leave households exposed to substantial out-of-pocket bills and medical debt when illness or injury strikes.
Health Care Sharing Ministries offer a different model. Members voluntarily share eligible medical expenses with one another within communities organized around shared religious beliefs. These ministries are not health insurance, and eligibility requirements and sharing arrangements vary by organization. What they do have in common is this: they do offer a viable and valuable non-insurance solution.
According to the Alliance, members of Health Care Sharing Ministries in all 50 states share billions of dollars in medical expenses annually. The organization advocates direct negotiation of medical charges, understandable prices and responsible stewardship of members’ contributions.
“A hospital or medical bill should not be a guessing game,” Hultgren said. “When families can see prices and discuss charges before treatment, they are better equipped to make informed decisions and manage their resources responsibly.”
The Alliance said price transparency matters regardless of whether a patient uses an insurance plan, pays directly or participates in a sharing ministry. It urged hospitals to lead the transparency movement by making their pricing information accessible and understandable before nonemergency services.
“No family should have to choose between caring for loved ones, protecting household finances and honoring deeply held religious beliefs,” Hultgren said. “Health care sharing demonstrates the value of neighbors helping neighbors, without adding another layer of bureaucracy.”
The Alliance cautioned consumers to examine any arrangement’s guidelines, eligibility rules and limitations before joining. Unlike insurance policies, sharing ministry arrangements do not guarantee payment of medical bills.
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries is a 501(c)(6) trade organization representing the common interests of Health Care Sharing Ministries, which are facilitating the sharing of health care needs (financial, emotional, and spiritual) by individuals and families, and their participants. The Alliance engages with federal and state regulators, members of the media, and the Christian community to provide accurate and timely information on health care sharing.
To learn more about the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, visit www.ahcsm.org or follow the ministry on Facebook or Twitter.
###
To interview a representative from the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, or Richard Jefferson, rjefferson@hamiltonstrategies.com.
