Cynthia Cox

Open enrollment for Marketplace health plans is underway, Many Montanans could face steep premium hikes if Congress doesn't renew existing tax credits. That debate is at the heart of the federal government shutdown. MTPR’s Aaron Bolton reports on what that would mean for one Montanan.

Open enrollment for the federal health insurance marketplace is just a couple weeks away. Montanans might experience some sticker shock when they start shopping around.

Around 66,000 Montanans rely on the federal marketplace to buy health insurance. Many get enhanced subsidies that Congress passed to help people afford premiums during the pandemic. They expire later this year. For some, premiums could be more than three times as expensive if the subsidies aren’t renewed.

As demand for federally subsidized health care significantly rises in Montana for the first time in several years, the U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether to strike down the law that enabled expanded coverage. Health insurance experts liken a complete overturn of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to a “perfect storm” that would cause “complete chaos.”